Flame retardant biogenic building insulation materials from hemp fiber

Abstract

AbstractBiogenic thermal insulation materials are in high demand because of its carbon‐sequestration nature. However, high flammability, moisture condensation, and relatively high thermal conductivity of biogenic material are major concerns for sustainable building applications. In this study, we report the fire‐retardant cellulose xerogel insulation nanocomposites derived from hemp fiber recycling and silica xerogel, in which the boric acid treatment improves its fire retardancy. The as‐prepared materials show a low thermal conductivity of 31.3 mW/m K, high flexural modulus of 665 MPa, hydrophobicity with the water contact angle of 115°, and fire retardancy with 30% weight loss over a period of burning time 10 min. Overall, this work provides an effective method for the synthesis of fire‐retardant biogenic thermal insulation materials and shows a promising way for next‐generation bio‐based insulation materials.