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Preparation of Biopolymer Aerogels Using Green Solvents
Published on: July 4, 2016
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Renewable biomass-based aerogels: from structural design to functional regulation.
Linfeng Chen1, Xiaoxiao Yu1, Mengyue Gao1
1State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, People's Republic of China. xhzhang@dhu.edu.cn.
Chemical Society Reviews
|June 19, 2024
Summary
Biomass-based aerogels (BAs) offer sustainable solutions for energy and environmental challenges. Tailoring their microstructures unlocks diverse functionalities for applications like thermal management and water treatment.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Green Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Growing global population and industrialization drive demand for eco-friendly materials due to nonrenewable energy crises and environmental concerns.
- Biomass-based aerogels (BAs) present promising applications owing to their biocompatibility, degradability, and renewability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the preparation, design concepts, and regulation methods for biomass-based aerogels (BAs).
- To explore the synergistic relationship between chemical compositions, microstructures, and porous structures of BAs.
- To analyze the impact of microstructural design on the physical properties and potential applications of BAs.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive review of existing literature on biomass-based aerogels.
- Analysis of microstructural design strategies and their influence on macroscopic functions.
- Examination of the correlation between gel skeleton, pore structure, and material properties.
Main Results:
- Microstructural design is crucial for tailoring the performance of BAs for specific applications.
- Diverse microstructures, inspired by natural materials, lead to varied functionalities even with similar compositions.
- BAs exhibit potential in thermal management, water treatment, atmospheric water harvesting, CO2 absorption, energy storage, EMI shielding, and biological applications.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the structure-property relationships in BAs is key to unlocking their full potential.
- Future research should focus on addressing challenges and exploring new opportunities in BA development.
- This review provides a comprehensive overview for researchers on BAs, bridging microstructure and properties.
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