title: Polymethylsilsesquioxane-cellulose nanofiber biocomposite aerogels with high thermal insulation, bendability, and superhydrophobicity.
abstract: Polymethylsilsesquioxane-cellulose nanofiber (PMSQ-CNF) composite aerogels have been prepared through sol-gel in a solvent containing a small amount of CNFs as suspension. Since these composite aerogels do not show excessive aggregation of PMSQ and CNF, the original PMSQ networks are not disturbed. Composite aerogels with low density (0.020 g cm(-3) at lowest), low thermal conductivity (15 mW m(-1) K(-1)), visible light translucency, bending flexibility, and superhydrophobicity thus have been successfully obtained. In particular, the lowest density and bending flexibility have been achieved with the aid of the physical supporting effect of CNFs, and the lowest thermal conductivity is comparable with the original PMSQ aerogels and standard silica aerogels. The PMSQ-CNF composite aerogels would be a candidate to practical high-performance thermal insulating materials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University , Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Gen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hayase
authors.forename: Kazuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kanamori
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Ayaka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maeno
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaji
authors.forename: Kazuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakanishi