{"title":"Paraffin-chitin nanofibers bifunctional composite foam for thermal insulation and energy storage","authors":"Weikang Ke, Xiaolong Shi, Hailong Wang, Tianyu Wu, Yutao Zhang, Ruirui Zhao, Zhigang Qi, Shuo Geng, Liang Yuan, Youxian Yan","doi":"10.1007/s10570-025-06674-w","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Dimensionally stable paraffin-chitin nanofibers bifunctional composite foams with excellent thermal energy storage performance and promising thermal insulation properties were successfully constructed. Pickering emulsions of paraffin stabilized by chitin nanofibers were first prepared and then assembled with chitin nanofibers to form porous structures after freeze-drying. As a result, the maximum paraffin content in the product can reach 95.3%. Correspondingly, a maximum latent enthalpy value of 197.5 and 197.2 J/g for melting enthalpy and crystallization enthalpy (approximately 91.7 and 92.2% of that of pure paraffin), with the relative retention of 96.2 and 96.7% are achieved, demonstrating its excellent energy storage capacity. The foam can withstand 232 times its weight at a temperature of 180 °C without leakage, proving its excellent high-temperature dimensional stability. The composite foam also exhibits low thermal conductivity (65 mW/m<sup>.</sup>K) for heat shielding applications. The sustainability, reproducibility, and excellent thermal regulation performances of composite foam give it great application prospects in the field of energy collection and storage.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":511,"journal":{"name":"Cellulose","volume":"32 12","pages":"7239 - 7256"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Cellulose","FirstCategoryId":"88","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10570-025-06674-w","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MATERIALS SCIENCE, PAPER & WOOD","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Dimensionally stable paraffin-chitin nanofibers bifunctional composite foams with excellent thermal energy storage performance and promising thermal insulation properties were successfully constructed. Pickering emulsions of paraffin stabilized by chitin nanofibers were first prepared and then assembled with chitin nanofibers to form porous structures after freeze-drying. As a result, the maximum paraffin content in the product can reach 95.3%. Correspondingly, a maximum latent enthalpy value of 197.5 and 197.2 J/g for melting enthalpy and crystallization enthalpy (approximately 91.7 and 92.2% of that of pure paraffin), with the relative retention of 96.2 and 96.7% are achieved, demonstrating its excellent energy storage capacity. The foam can withstand 232 times its weight at a temperature of 180 °C without leakage, proving its excellent high-temperature dimensional stability. The composite foam also exhibits low thermal conductivity (65 mW/m.K) for heat shielding applications. The sustainability, reproducibility, and excellent thermal regulation performances of composite foam give it great application prospects in the field of energy collection and storage.
期刊介绍:
Cellulose is an international journal devoted to the dissemination of research and scientific and technological progress in the field of cellulose and related naturally occurring polymers. The journal is concerned with the pure and applied science of cellulose and related materials, and also with the development of relevant new technologies. This includes the chemistry, biochemistry, physics and materials science of cellulose and its sources, including wood and other biomass resources, and their derivatives. Coverage extends to the conversion of these polymers and resources into manufactured goods, such as pulp, paper, textiles, and manufactured as well natural fibers, and to the chemistry of materials used in their processing. Cellulose publishes review articles, research papers, and technical notes.