Thermally Insulating and Flame-Retardant Polyaniline/Pectin Aerogels

Biomass-based thermally insulating and flame-retardant polymer aerogelswere fabricated from renewable pectin(PC) and aniline via polymerization–coagulation and a supercritical dryingprocess. A special physical cross-linking action existed between PC and polyaniline (PA). The resultant aerogelsshowed three-dimensional networks with hierarchical pores and high surface areas (103–205 m2 g–1). With benefits from the cross-linking structure, the pectin-based aerogelsexhibited good compressive strengths (4.7–9.2 MPa) and water resistance. The results from thermal conductivity measurementsand thermogravimetric analysis revealed that these aerogelsalso had low thermal conductivity (0.033–0.038 W m–1 K–1) and considerable thermal stability. The limiting oxygen index, vertical burning tests, microscale combustion, and cone calorimetry tests further confirmed that the inherently low flammability of the aerogelscould be achieved by the flame retardancy of PA and the cross-linking action between PA and PC. The...