Thermal conductivity, structure and mechanical properties of konjac glucomannan/starch based aerogel strengthened by wheat straw

Yixin Wang; Kao Wu; Man Xiao; Saffa B Riffat; Yuehong Su; Fatang Jiang

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.06.009

Thermal conductivity, structure and mechanical properties of konjac glucomannan/starch based aerogel strengthened by wheat straw

Carbohydr Polym. 2018 Oct 1:197:284-291. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.06.009. Epub 2018 Jun 4.

Authors

Yixin Wang¹, Kao Wu¹, Man Xiao¹, Saffa B Riffat², Yuehong Su³, Fatang Jiang⁴

Affiliations

¹ Glyn O. Philips Hydrocolloid Research Centre at HUT, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China; School of Bioengineering and Food Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China.
² Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
³ Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK. Electronic address: yuehong.su@nottingham.ac.uk.
⁴ Glyn O. Philips Hydrocolloid Research Centre at HUT, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China; School of Bioengineering and Food Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China; Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK. Electronic address: JIANGFT@mail.hbut.edu.cn.

PMID: 30007615
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.06.009

Abstract

This study presents the preparation and property characterization of a konjac glucomannan (KGM)/starch based aerogel as a thermal insulation material. Wheat straw powders (a kind of agricultural waste) and starch are used to enhance aerogel physical properties such as mechanical strength and pore size distribution. Aerogel samples were made using environmentally friendly sol-gel and freeze drying methods. Results show that starch addition could strengthen the mechanical strength of aerogel significantly, and wheat straw addition could decrease aerogel pore size due to its special micron-cavity structure, with appropriate gelatin addition as the stabilizer. The aerogel formula was optimized to achieve lowest thermal conductivity and good thermal stability. Within the experimental range, aerogel with the optimized formula had a thermal conductivity 0.04641 Wm^-1 K^-1, a compression modulus 67.5 kPa and an elasticity 0.27. The results demonstrate the high potential of KGM/starch based aerogels enhanced with wheat straw for application in thermal insulation.

Keywords: Konjac glucomannan; Mechanical property; Pore size distribution; Starch; Thermal insulation aerogel; Wheat straw.