Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Cellulose Nanofibril Hybrid Aerogels with an Aligned Microtubular Porous Structure and Their Composites with Polydimethylsiloxane

Abstract

Superhydrophobic poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/cellulose nanofibril (CNF) aerogels with a unidirectionally aligned microtubular porous structure were prepared using a unidirectional freeze-drying process, followed by the thermal chemical vapor deposition of methyltrichlorosilane. The silanized aerogels were characterized using various techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and contact angle measurements. The structure of the aerogels fully filled with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was confirmed by SEM and optical microscopy. The mechanical properties of the resulting PDMS/aerogel composites were examined using both compressive and tensile tests. The compressive and tensile Young's moduli of the fully filled PDMS/aerogel composites were more than 2-fold and 15-fold higher than those of pure PDMS. This study provides a novel alternative approach for preparing high performance polymer nanocomposites with a bicontinuous structure.

Mass production of graphene materials from solid carbon sources using a molecular cracking and welding method

“…In the past decade, extensive studies developed bio-aerogels and related bio-material absorbents for oil spilling cleanup. [37][38][39] These materials can be used to absorb oil including gasoline, diesel oil, olive oil, benzene, phenixin, isopropanol, etc. 40 Crude oil with very high viscosity is the most difficult oil for these absorbents with low absorption capacity, 39 especially, the crude oil/water emulsion.…”

“…[37][38][39] These materials can be used to absorb oil including gasoline, diesel oil, olive oil, benzene, phenixin, isopropanol, etc. 40 Crude oil with very high viscosity is the most difficult oil for these absorbents with low absorption capacity, 39 especially, the crude oil/water emulsion. Since the dispersive water molecules in the emulsion wrapped the lipophilic groups of the absorbents which resulted in loss of bonding between oil molecules and lipophilic group of the absorbents, the crude oil/water emulsion cannot be separated by these existing bio-absorbents.…”

Flexible and transparent polymer/cellulose nanocrystal nanocomposites with high thermal conductivity for thermal management application

“…Currently, nanotechnology and nanomaterials provide many opportunities for the development of advanced material . Cellulose, derived from renewable natural woods, offers new class for multifunctional nanomaterials, its compositing with other materials can also lead to a variety of advanced materials . Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC), extracted from the natural microcrystalline cellulose, is organic and ecofriendly crystal particles with high thermal conductivity due to the lattice transfer of phonon .…”

Fabrication and properties of anisotropic polyimide aerogels with aligned tube‐like pore structure

“…On the axial (freezing direction) and radial (perpendicular to freezing direction) directions, the AGAs showed different structures and properties. Zhai et al . prepared poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/CNF aerogels by unidirectional freezing, freeze‐drying, and thermal chemical vapor deposition of methyltrichlorosilane.…”