Abstract

A hydrophobic and ultralight cellulose aerogel (CA) was reinforced by polyethyleneimine (PEI) and functionalized by methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS). Adding PEI improved the mechanical strength and the elastic resilience of the resulting material due to the flexibility enhancement of the cellulose chains, which prevented the collapse of the pore structure and contributed to the uniform pore size distribution. The hydrophobic property of the aerogels with the functionalization of MTMS was improved, which can prevent the pore structure from collapsing due to the absorption of water. The maximum compression modulus of aerogel reached 1.1 MPa at the strain of 80%, and its hydrophobic water contact angle was up to 112°. The hydrophobic composite aerogels exhibited ultrahigh efficiency in sound absorption across a wide frequency range from 500 to 6300 Hz, and their average absorption coefficient was greater than 0.74. The light weight, high porosity, and environmentally friendly aerogels presented in this work are promising for efficient sound absorption. They have potential applications in noise pollution treatment.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.