What is it about?
We have presented a method to prepare hierarchically open porous structure of cellulose aerogels, cryogels and xerogels in which a variety of macro- to mesoporous structures can be tailored by suitable adjustment of a new emulsion technique with a surfactant employed here. We have also investigated how the cellulose nanofiber network and the interconnected macro- and mesoporous structures exclusively influence the mechanical properties of the bulk cellulose material.
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Why is it important?
Cellulose-based biocomposites from nature exhibit remarkable mechanical properties which inspire to prepare synthetic biocomposites. The detailed studies of the porous cellulose materials having hierarchical structures are essential to understand how the cellulose nanofiber network and interconnected macro- and mesoporous structures exclusively influence the mechanical properties.
Perspectives
A method of synthesizing hierarchical porous structures is completely new producing a variety macro- and mesoporous strcutures. The entrapped oil droplets in the cellulose matrix act as a structural template. On drying, the interfaces between states of matter decide the dispersion of pores. Pore volume in the cell walls of materials influences the mechanical properties. The materials vary from lightweight soft material to hard stiff and dense material. The designed hierarchically porous cellulose materials could be used as bio-based template or supporting materials for the biocomposites synthesis. This new method opens design routes for cellulose-based materials suitable for applications in new type of filters, since the oil-emulsion template method allows tailoring the gas permeability and the nanopores of the cell walls act as absorbers. This novel emulsion template method for the production of hierarchical structure of cellulose scaffolds can also be applied in other polysaccharide systems.
Dr Kathirvel Ganesan
German Aerospace Center
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Design of aerogels, cryogels and xerogels of cellulose with hierarchical porous structures, Materials & Design, February 2016, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2015.12.041.
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