Date palm wood-derived cellulose aerogel dissolved in ionic liquids as a green thermal insulation construction material

Heat insulation materials used in the construction industry are essential for energy conservation. Nonetheless, the majority of current commercial heat insulators are fossil-fuel derived materials; thus, it is vital to provide sustainable, biodegradable, and environmentally friendly alternatives. In this work, an innovative method for producing cellulose II aerogels extracted from date palm waste and from microcrystalline lab-grade cellulose, targeting thermal insulation applications in the construction industry was introduced. A key aspect of the investigated approach is the use of a co-solvent system that combines 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (Bmim)Cl and dimethylformamide (DMF), chosen for its efficiency in dissolving cellulose. The cellulose (at 3, 5, 7, and 9 wt%) was dissolved in a co-solvent system of 70 wt% (Bmim)Cl ionic liquid and 30 wt% DMF, saving costs associated with using purely ionic liquid solvents. The prepared aerogels exhibited low thermal conductivity (0.033–0.065 W/m⋅K), low densities (0.08–0.15 g/cm³), high porosity (89.85–94.69 %) and good thermal diffusivity (0.06–0.022 mm²/s). Furthermore, the developed insulators required a compressive strength of 75 kPa to reach 50 % strain and exhibited a sound absorption coefficient of 0.9. Structural characterization of the materials, including X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis, highlights the prospect of cellulose extracted from date palm wood in aerogel preparation and the potential for the (Bmim)Cl/DMF co-solvent system in dissolving cellulose.