Fully biomass-based aerogels with ultrahigh mechanical modulus, enhanced flame retardancy, and great thermal insulation applications

Biomass-derived aerogels have received extensive attention as potential thermal management materials for energy-efficient buildings. However, it remains a huge challenge to fabricate a fully bio-based aerogel with excellent mechanical property, flame retardancy, and low thermal conductivity. Herein, we demonstrate a novel and facile strategy to manufacture a fully biomass-based aerogel from naturally abundant ammonium alginate (AL) and phytic acid (PA), in which PA acting as both flame retardant and cross-linking components constructs a strong network with AL matrix. Consequently, the resultant biomass aerogel with a low density of 0.052 g/cm3 exhibits ultrahigh mechanical modulus (25.1 ± 3.1 MPa) and specific modulus (440.4 ± 54.4 MPa cm3·g−1), much superior to those of biomass aerogels ever reported. Due to the existence of the uniform three-dimensional porous network, the biomass aerogels exhibit low thermal conductivity (34–38 mW/m·K) and excellent thermal insulation performances. Further, the introduction of PA endows the aerogel with high flame retardancy (limiting oxygen index value of 57%, UL-94 V-0 rating, and extremely low heat release), while the biodegradability of the materials keeps at a high level with a biodegradation rate of 91.43%. Combining with the advantages of mechanically strong property, high flame retardancy, excellent thermal insulation, and biodegradation, the aerogel of this work provides a new strategy to fabricate thermal insulation materials with high environmental safety.