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Ambient-dried thermal superinsulating monolithic silica-based aerogels with short cellulosic fibers

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Abstract

Short (<2.5 mm) cellulose fiber–silica composite aerogels were synthesized by dispersing cellulose fibers in polyethoxydisiloxane-based sol. After in situ gelation, silica phase was hydrophobized with hexamethyldisilazane, and the composites were dried either at ambient pressure or with supercritical (sc) CO2. Fiber concentration was varied from 0 to 25 wt% (corresponding to 0–2.1 vol%) of the final dried composite. Preformed cellulosic fiber network preserved the monolithic shape of the silica-based composites during ambient drying. At room conditions, thermal conductivities were 0.015 ± 0.001 W/(m K) for sc-dried aerogels and 0.017 ± 0.001 W/(m K) for their ambient-dried counterparts. Materials dried with either method exhibited large specific surface areas, from 570 to 730 m2/g, and SEM analysis did not show significant differences in the global structure of the silica network. Composite aerogels were hydrophobic with water contact angles around 138°. Based on this proof of concept, the same approach was used with a variety of natural and recycled cellulosic fibers also resulting in silica-based monoliths with low thermal conductivities in the 0.016–0.023 W/(m K) range, all produced via ambient drying.

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Acknowledgements

The French Agency for Environment and Energy Management (ADEME) is acknowledged for financial support. The authors are also very grateful to Lenzing, Stora Enso, and Aerocycle for providing fibers, pulps, and recycled fiber, respectively, as well as Enersens for providing PEDS solutions. The authors thank Pierre Ilbizian (MINES ParisTech–PERSEE) for sc CO2 drying, Julien Jaxel (MINES ParisTech–CEMEF) for pulp fiber preparation and TGA analysis, university of Nice for allowing us to perform TGA experiments, and Suzanne Jacomet (MINES ParisTech–CEMEF) for SEM.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MINES ParisTech, PSL Research University, PERSEE-Centre for Processes, Renewable Energy and Energy Systems, CS 10207 rue Claude Daunesse, 06904, Sophia Antipolis Cedex, France

    Gediminas Markevicius, Rachid Ladj, Philipp Niemeyer & Arnaud Rigacci

  2. MINES ParisTech, PSL Research University, CEMEF-Centre for Materials Forming, CNRS UMR 7635, rue Claude Daunesse, CS 10207, 06904, Sophia Antipolis Cedex, France

    Gediminas Markevicius, Rachid Ladj, Philipp Niemeyer & Tatiana Budtova

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  1. Gediminas Markevicius
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  2. Rachid Ladj
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  3. Philipp Niemeyer
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  4. Tatiana Budtova
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  5. Arnaud Rigacci
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Correspondence to Tatiana Budtova or Arnaud Rigacci.

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Markevicius, G., Ladj, R., Niemeyer, P. et al. Ambient-dried thermal superinsulating monolithic silica-based aerogels with short cellulosic fibers. J Mater Sci 52, 2210–2221 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-016-0514-3

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