Preparation of Sustainable Kapok Fiber/Chitosan Composite Aerogels with Amphiphilic and Mechanical Properties for Thermal Insulation and Packaging Applications 


Vol. 25,  No. 6, pp. 2081-2091, Jun.  2024
10.1007/s12221-024-00572-x


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  Abstract

With the growing global scarcity of energy sources, there is an increasing focus on the development of thermal insulation materials. Kapok fiber, a renewable agricultural by-product, garners attention as an eco-friendly thermal insulation material due to its unique hollow structure. Here, we report a fast and simple route to prepare environmentally friendly, economical, and sustainable aerogels. In this study, kapok fiber/chitosan (KF/CS) composite aerogel and its control samples were prepared from kapok fiber and chitosan using wet-laid, soaking, and freeze-drying techniques. Our results demonstrated that alkali-treated kapok fibers exhibited hydrophilicity, which improved their water dispersibility to form a homogeneous and stable aerogel backbone. The samples exhibited excellent oil–water amphiphilicity and UV resistance as well as certain compression recovery, where the oil–water contact angles were below 40 and 50°, respectively. Compared to the unsoaked US-KF control samples, the KF/CS composite aerogels soaked prior to freeze-drying had higher porosity (98.32-98.48%) and thermal resistance (0.072-0.079 m2 ℃ w-1) and lower density (0.019-0.022 g/cm3). The current study indicated that the KF/CS composite aerogel is a potential bio-based material with promising applications in the fields of packaging and building insulation.

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  Cite this article

[IEEE Style]

H. Wang, L. Cao, Y. Liu, H. Yuan, Z. Chu, Y. Li, H. Shen, G. Xu, "Preparation of Sustainable Kapok Fiber/Chitosan Composite Aerogels with Amphiphilic and Mechanical Properties for Thermal Insulation and Packaging Applications," Fibers and Polymers, vol. 25, no. 6, pp. 2081-2091, 2024. DOI: 10.1007/s12221-024-00572-x.

[ACM Style]

Hongchang Wang, Liyao Cao, Ye Liu, Hang Yuan, Ziqing Chu, Yuling Li, Hua Shen, and Guangbiao Xu. 2024. Preparation of Sustainable Kapok Fiber/Chitosan Composite Aerogels with Amphiphilic and Mechanical Properties for Thermal Insulation and Packaging Applications. Fibers and Polymers, 25, 6, (2024), 2081-2091. DOI: 10.1007/s12221-024-00572-x.

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pISSN : 1229 - 9197
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