Authors
Tamilselvan Mohan, Doris Bračič, Chandran Nagaraj, Thomas Harter, Resul Fener, Anne Dennstedt, Barbara Milow, Kathirvel Ganesan, Ulrich Hirn, Rupert Kargl, Karin Stana Kleinscheck
Published in
Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany). Pages e75920. Sep 26, 2026. Epub Sep 26, 2026.
Abstract
Achieving the simultaneous integration of thermal insulation, mechanical robustness, hydrophobicity, and intrinsic flame retardancy in bio-based porous materials remains a major challenge. Here, we report a hierarchically engineered nanocomposite foam composed of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC), alkyl ketene dimer (AKD), and halloysite nanotubes (HNT), designed via a multiscale structure-property approach. Incorporation of HNT (1-10 wt%) reinforces the fibrillar network and introduces a hierarchical macro-mesoporous architecture, while AKD imparts durable hydrophobicity with water contact angles of 133-154°. The foams exhibit low thermal conductivity (0.031-0.046 W m- 1 K- 1), high compressive modulus (∼1.1 MPa), and excellent deformability (∼80% strain). The materials display outstanding flame retardancy, with combustion velocities reduced by over an order of magnitude (∼6 to ∼0.1 cm s- 1) and clear self-extinguishing behavior. Thermal analysis reveals enhanced stability and increased char yield (∼45%), consistent with modified degradation pathways. Thermal cycling tests (10 cycles, 25°C-80°C) confirm structural stability with no pore collapse and negligible change in thermal conductivity (≤2.2%). This multifunctionality arises from the synergy between halloysite-induced barrier effects, hierarchical structural reinforcement, and controlled interfacial chemistry, providing a scalable route to sustainable, lightweight, and fire-safe insulation materials without toxic additives.
PMID:
42798257
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 26 Sep 2026.
Read full publication at:
Please sign in
to see all details.
Advertisement
Stats
- Recommendations n/a n/a positive of 0 vote(s)
- Views 7
- Comments 0