• Volume shrinkage of composites during drying is dominated by reduction in height. • The positive correlation between growth duration and tensile strength is limited. • Vigorous growth is not a safe indicator for strong composites. • Mycelium-bound wheat straw composites exhibit thermal conductivity of ∼ 40 mW/(m∙K) • Removal of surface mycelium can limit humidity uptake and thus thermal conductivity. Mycelium-bound composites enable circular material use by binding bio-based substrates with fungal mycelium into lightweight materials that can be recycled or composted. Optimizing material properties for specific applications depends on pairing suitable substrates and fungi. Fungal selection is often guided by growth speed without considering whether rapid vigor leads to optimal adhesion. Similarly, the influence of mycelium on key properties such as humidity uptake or thermal conductivity remains insufficiently understood. The current study characterized mycelium-bound composites from Ganoderma sessile and Trametes versicolor on green waste, wheat straw, and a mixture of wheat straw and kapok in terms of dimensional stability, humidity response, tensile strength, and thermal conductivity. A deeper understanding was gained by investigating the effects of composite orientation on shrinkage during the drying process, the influence of growth duration on mechanical performance, and the contribution of the surface mycelium on thermal conductivity. Our data revealed a strong preference for height shrinkage during drying compared to the other dimensions, which can be attributed to fiber orientation. While fast-growing fungi such as G. sessile establish adhesion quickly, they can be surpassed by slower species ( T. versicolor ) in the long run. Moreover, strong surface growth can increase humidity uptake, negatively affecting thermal insulation performance. Finally, while composites with wheat straw exhibited competitive thermal conductivities compared to conventional insulators, values for composites with green waste were around 30 % higher. Overall, our findings provide guidance for optimal material design in terms of shape, insulation performance, and stability.

Reactive microencapsulated flame retardant for simultaneously enhancing flame retardancy, thermal insulation and mechanical properties of epoxy composites

Bio-based chitosan-Al3+-microcrystalline cellulose aerogel with modified surface properties for flame retardancy, thermal insulation and sound absorption applications

Application of thermally sprayed coating in hydrokinetic turbines to reduce the slurry-based erosion: A review

Fly ash cenosphere (FAC) is a promising additive for engineered cementitious composites (ECC) because it reduces density and improves ductility, thermal insulation, and sustainability. However, replacing conventional components with FAC can reduce mechanical performance and thus weaken ECC ' s strength-normalized environmental benefits. This study evaluates whether adding nano-silica (NS) at 0.5 wt% and 1 wt% of binder can offset that drawback by improving mechanical properties and extending structural service life. Experimental results showed that incorporating FAC increased the tensile strain capacity of ECC (water to binder ratio of 0.2) to 4.26% (versus 2.34% for the reference mixture, Ref.-ECC), but reduced compressive strength from 85.6 MPa to 67.4 MPa. Adding NS raised compressive strength to 80.1 MPa and substantially improved tensile properties: tensile strain capacity and tensile strength increased by 80% and 58%, respectively, resulted in the increased strength- and strain-normalized sustainability. NS also reduced crack width, which is expected to extend the predicted service life from 11.83 years to about 15.0 years and to promote self-healing. Finally, the multicriteria assessment (environmental, economic, service life, and mechanical dimensions) indicated that the sustainability index decreased with FAC alone but improved when FAC was combined with NS, relative to the reference ECC.

This study investigates the creation of eco-efficient gypsum plaster composites that integrate untreated textile waste (TW) with a hybrid experimental-computational methodology that combines machine learning (ML) prediction with multi-objective metaheuristic optimization. Prismatic specimens of 40 × 40 × 160 mm were fabricated with TW concentrations varying from 0% to 1% and water-to-plaster (W/P) ratios between 0.55 and 0.70. The composites were evaluated for rheological parameters (initial and final setting times, spreadability), durability (capillary absorption), mechanical performance (compressive strength [CS] and flexural strength [FS]), and thermal conductivity (TC). The results indicated that TW markedly affected plaster performance: a 0.75% TW addition produced the maximum compressive strength (11.67 MPa) and flexural strength (4.17 MPa), while thermal conductivity reduced from 0.20 to 0.15 W/m·K, hence improving thermal insulation. Nonetheless, workability was diminished—spreadability decreased from 210 mm to 130 mm, and initial setting time reduced from 7 to 3 min—underscoring a trade-off. A deep neural network enhanced by the Improved Grey Wolf Optimizer (DNN–IGWO) attained superior prediction accuracy (R² > 0.95), proficiently simulating nonlinear relationships between TW and W/P ratios. A genetic algorithm (GA) produced a Pareto front of 71 non-dominated solutions, optimizing strength, thermal performance, and workability. Optimal formulations were achieved at W/P ratios of 0.55–0.65 and TW levels of 0.25–1 wt%, enabling the development of high-performance, sustainable gypsum composites derived from industrial textile by-products. The findings support the incorporation of recycled textiles in construction and illustrate how data-driven optimization can inform the advancement of sustainable gypsum-based materials utilizing industrial by-products.

From agricultural waste to building insulation: a chemical-free composite from banana stem and jackfruit seed starch.

Heat balance modeling and pathway analysis in membrane-covered aerobic composting: regulatory mechanisms of membrane properties.

Experimental study on mechanical properties of polypropylene fiber foamed concrete after exposure to high temperatures

This study evaluates the environmental impacts and thermal performance of fired and unfired bricks incorporating Para Rubber Latex (PRL). Samples were collected from eight traditional and small-scale production sites in Ayutthaya provinces, Thailand. A cradle-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted with measurement-based thermal analysis of 1 × 1 m wall panels under hot-humid climate conditions. Fired bricks exhibited total emissions of approximately 474.54 gCO₂e per brick, with the firing stage (Module A3) contributing 53.86.%, dominated by biogenic CO₂ released from rice husk combustion. In contrast, unfired bricks emitted only 336.56 gCO₂e per brick, mainly from transportation and cement use (Module A2), accounting for 88.77 % of total emissions—an 29.07 % reduction compared to fired bricks. PRL incorporation induced favorable microstructural modification, forming a continuous polymer film that reduced pore connectivity, leading to lower water absorption and enhanced thermal insulation. The PRL5 % mixture achieved balanced performance, improving compressive strength by 3.0 % while maintaining low thermal conductivity. Thermal analysis revealed that fired brick walls, with higher thermal conductivity (1.12 W/m·K), experienced faster and greater internal temperature fluctuations (ΔT_in=10.0°C). Unfired bricks, with lower conductivity (0.4253 W/m·K), maintained better thermal stability, maintaining a time lag of under one hour. For a 10 m² wall, unfired bricks reduced average heat loss by up to 78.81 % and lowered CO₂ emissions over fourfold compared to fired bricks. Overall, unfired rubberized bricks—especially those with 2.5–5 % rubber latex (PRL2.5–PRL5)—demonstrate strong potential as low-carbon, energy-efficient alternatives for sustainable building applications.

Valorization of agricultural and industrial wastes in geopolymer foam concrete, a ternary binder approach using corncob ash, red mud, and fly ash

A promising strategy for balancing the thermal insulation and char layer strength of water-based intumescent fireproof coating: A synergistic effect between organic-modified titanium dioxide and expandable graphite

Porous media for solar-driven interfacial evaporation: Fundamentals, materials, architectures, and applications.

3D layered–network Al₂O₃ aerogel–melamine foam composite aerogel for synergistic thermal insulation, cyclic compressibility, and selective oil transport

The woolly plant Saussurea medusa is an endangered traditional Tibetan medicinal species and an ideal model to study high-altitude adaptation. Despite its ecological and pharmacological significance, the molecular mechanisms underlying its survival under harsh environments and its production of bioactive flavonoids remain poorly characterized. In this study, we assembled a high-quality chromosome-level genome of S. medusa (~3.8 Gb) with low heterozygosity and high repeat content. Comparative genomic analyses showed expansion of gene families related to DNA repair and hypoxia-adapted TCA cycle metabolism, and strong positive selection on light-harvesting complex pathways. Structural and functional analyses of the woolly trait demonstrated its roles in thermal insulation and light attenuation. Correspondingly, 48 key trichome-related genes were identified, reflecting a regulatory network dominated by the conserved GL1-GL3/(EGL3)-TTG1 transcriptional activator complex and linked to hormonal pathways. Metabolomics identified 1792 metabolites, including 18 bioactive metabolites with tissue-specific accumulation, most of which are flavonoids. Integrated metabolomics and transcriptomics analysis further revealed 27 flavonoid biosynthetic genes highly expressed in flowers and leaves, correlating strongly with the accumulation of flavonoids, indicating coordinated regulation of secondary metabolism. Our study provides multi-omic resources for S. medusa and provides insights into the genetic basis of its high-altitude adaptation, woolly trait, and medicinal properties.

Image-guided thermal ablation has been included in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines of multiple solid tumors. However, insufficient ablation of larger lesions and thermal injury adjacent to major organs and tissues limit its clinical application. Besides, sublethal hyperthermia at the margin of ablation can induce an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and increases recurrence risk. These physical and biological limitations are linked to each other. We developed an injectable hydrogel MR@CaP@HA with in situ thermal insulation and dual-responsive (pH/GSH) chemo-immunomodulatory delivery. MR@CaP@HA hydrogel can create a thermal insulation area with a thickness of about 5-10 mm after injection in situ, keeping the surrounding tissues under 45 °C during ablation. The disulfide-cross-linked hyaluronic acid (HA) network degrades in a glutathione (GSH)-dependent manner, inducing gel-liquid transition and controlled nanoparticle release. The released MR@CaP (calcium phosphate co-loaded with MIT and R848) nanoparticles disassemble in an acidic environment, delivering mitoxantrone (MIT) and resiquimod (R848) in a dual-responsive manner. This dual-responsive delivery system induces robust immunogenic cell death and dendritic cell maturation and achieves macrophage M1 rate of 95% in vitro and 35% in vivo. With coordinated thermal modulation and programmable drug release, the integrated therapy sterilizes residual tumor cells and achieves complete tumor eradication in 50% of animals. This work establishes a material-driven platform that overcomes thermal safety and immune resistance barriers, offering a translational strategy to enhance procedural safety and long-term efficacy.

Full-material upcycling of carbon Fiber/Epoxy waste into cytocompatible Multi-functional aerogels for thermal and acoustic Insulation, and oil spill cleaning.

To maintain comfortable indoor conditions, energy consumption associated with building operation accounts for a substantial proportion of global energy use. To effectively reduce building energy demand, it is crucial to develop high-performance thermal insulation materials that can be integrated with building envelope structures. However, simultaneously achieving low thermal conductivity, hydrophobicity, and improved thermal stability in cellulose-based aerogels remains a major challenge. In this work, cellulose aerogels with outstanding thermal insulation properties were fabricated and further modified by surface hydrophobic treatment with 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane and incorporation of silica sol to overcome the intrinsic strong hydrophilicity and limited thermal stability of cellulose aerogels. The resulting PTCNF/Si composite aerogels showed excellent hydrophobic properties, with high water contact angles (122-129°), while maintaining low thermal conductivities of approximately 24-26 mW (m K)-1, indicative of good thermal insulation performance. In terms of thermal stability, the PTCNF/Si-1.5 composite aerogel containing 1.5 mL of silica sol showed a char residue yield of 58.8 wt% at 800 °C, which was significantly higher than that of the pure TCNF aerogel. Overall, the hydrophobic PTCNF/Si composite aerogels combine low thermal conductivity with enhanced thermal stability and therefore hold promising potential as functional thermal insulation materials for energy-efficient building envelopes.

The traditional methods of preparing aerogels exhibit some shortcomings, such as uncontrollable pore morphology, complex process, and poor mechanical properties, which greatly limit the application of aerogels in personal thermal management (PTM). Herein, we propose a microfluidic-blow-spinning strategy that leverages the confinement effect of microchannels to enhance the mixing efficiency of different components, thereby enabling efficient homogenization of multiple components in the microfluidic field. Meanwhile, due to the continuous flow characteristics inherent to microfluidic systems, dynamic regulation of fiber microstructure composition during the spinning process can be achieved. The as-prepared fiber aerogels exhibit an ultralow density of 8.6 mg/cm3, can withstand tensile stress up to 5000 times their own weight, and retain nearly negligible plastic deformation even after 1000 compression cycles. More importantly, these fiber aerogels possess multimodal cooling functionalities through polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-mediated evaporative cooling and silica (SiO2)-endowed excellent infrared emissivity, achieving a temperature reduction of 6.5 °C under natural sunlight, thereby outperforming commercial down products. Ascribed to the above facile and scalable preparation process, these fiber aerogels demonstrate broad application prospects in personal thermal management under extreme environmental conditions.

Cooling and heating consume about half of global energy and result in various environmental problems. Radiative cooling and thermal insulation can reduce energy consumption, yet the existing materials that integrate both properties have limitations in working temperature range and mechanical robustness. Herein, we report a flexible and ultralow-density HfO2-ZrO2-SiO2 ceramic aerogel fabricated via a modified electrospinning method, which synergistically integrates radiative cooling, thermal insulation, mechanical robustness, and an ultrawide temperature range. It achieves high solar reflectance (98.0%) and high infrared emittance (98.4%) for daytime radiative cooling, along with ultralow thermal conductivity (24.7mWm-1K-1 at 2.58mgcm-3), enabling 24-hour thermal insulation. It also exhibits excellent mechanical properties at 7.50mgcm-3, including 245kPa tensile strength, 1.47MPa compressive strength, and 182kPa bending strength, along with an ultrawide working temperature range from -196°C to 1300°C. Moreover, in lunar environment simulation experiments, our aerogel achieves ∼50.0°C cooling below ambient during the day and ∼37.5°C thermal retention above ambient at night, successfully maintaining electronics above -16.7°C in an ambient temperature of -183°C. This work provides a mechanically robust ceramic aerogel solution for low-energy consumption, 24-hour thermal management in aerospace, deep-space exploration, and high-precision instruments.