Methylcellulose as a non-bonding gelling agent for calcium chloride methanol fuel gels

Carbohydrate-based fuel gels find diverse applications across industries ranging from renewable energy and transportation to military and emergency preparedness. This study investigates the thermal properties, gel characteristics, combustion performance, micro-, and nano-scale structure of methylcellulose (MC) in methanol and the effect of calcium chloride (CaCl₂) addition. The results show that MC exhibits viscoelastic phase separation due to the lower critical solution temperature, resulting in gelation at the 22 wt%. Thermogravimetric analysis reveals good thermal stability of MC in methanol, with a single decomposition stage. Adding CaCl₂ modifies rheological behavior and enhances the thermal properties of the MC/methanol gel, with improved combustion and ignition performance due to the formation of CaCl₂-methanolates. Small-angle X-ray scattering analysis indicates changes in nanoscale aggregates, correlation length, and fractal dimension with increasing CaCl₂ content. This study provides valuable insights into the properties of MC-based fuel gels and their potential applications.