A lignocellulose nanofibril material, a stable foam system based thereon, a preparation method and an application thereof are provided. The lignocellulosic nanofibril material includes the following components: 0.5-20 wt % of wood flour, 0.1-10 wt % of (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxidanyl, 2-25 mmol/g of an oxidant, 6-15 wt % of NaBr, and the remaining is water. The stable foam system based on the lignocellulosic nanofibril material includes: 0.1-1.0 wt % of the lignocellulosic nanofibril material, 0.2-1.0 wt % of a surfactant, 0.1-10 wt % of sodium chloride, 0.1-1.0 wt % of calcium chloride, 0.1-1.0 wt % of magnesium chloride, 0.1-1.0 wt % of sodium sulfate, and a balance of water.

A treated cellulosic material comprising: a cellulosic material having a porous structure defining a plurality of pores, the cellulosic material comprising wood including wood or wood composite materials, at least a portion of the pores containing a treating agent comprising: a polymer comprising a water soluble polyol; and a modifying agent comprising a hydrophobic polyalkylene polyol. A method for preparing a treated cellulosic material comprising: providing a cellulosic material; a first treatment protocol comprising impregnating the cellulosic material with a polymer, the polymer comprising a water-soluble polyol; and a second treatment protocol comprising impregnating the cellulosic material with a modifying agent, the modifying agent comprising a hydrophobic polyalkylene polyol.

The invention relates to a method of preparing sub-micron biocarbon materials using biomass that is chemically modified with organic or inorganic agents including but not limited to acrylamide, glycine, urea, glycerol, bio-glycerol, corn syrup, succinic acid, and sodium bicarbonate. The use of foaming and heating methodologies which could be either pre or post carbonization and subsequent particle size reduction methodologies for the creation of cost-competitive sub-micron biocarbon particles and fibers for a variety of applications.

According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided an extrusion foaming method for producing low-density extrusion foam from a thermoplastic cellulose-based starting material.

Pelagic Sargasso seaweed masses floods Caribbean Islands and Gulf of Mexico shores. Eighty percent of those masses are water, and out of the water those masses rot fast. There was not a profitable use for them until now. Sargasso is collected, compressed and dried by the air in thin sheets or mats, locally in a low- tech process. Once the sheets and mats are dried, they are stable and light. They have many uses such as thermal and sound barriers, sound absorbers, shock absorbers, air filters, etc.

Disclosed are methods of synthesizing organic-inorganic aerogel composites. The method comprises the steps of providing a cellulose component, derived from a plant based material, dispersed in an aqueous medium, adding a water soluble binder and a water soluble polymer to the aqueous medium to form a first mixture, forming a silica component, which is derived from a plant based silicate material, in situ when contacted with the first mixture for a predetermined time and condition to form a second mixture, gelling the second mixture and drying the second mixture to form an organic—inorganic aerogel. Also disclosed are organic-inorganic aerogel composites and their uses thereof. In particular, the organic-inorganic aerogel composites may have applications in thermal insulations, acoustic insulations and/or oil absorption.

The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling thermoplasticity and toughness of a redox-modified plant fiber, comprising following steps: (1) pretreating a plant fiber; (2) obtaining an oxidation-modified plant fiber by adding an oxidant solution, then filtering, and washing; and obtaining the redox-modified plant fiber by adding a reductant solution, then filtering, and washing; and (3) fully mixing a plasticizer with the redox-modified plant fiber; the plasticizer being a hydroxyl plasticizer, an ionic liquid plasticizer, a deep eutectic solvent, an ester plasticizer, an amine plasticizer, a glycidyl plasticizer, or an inorganic salt plasticizer. The method according to the present disclosure can improve the toughness of the redox-modified plant fiber material, reduce the processing temperature of the plant fiber material, and broaden the processing window of the plant fiber material.

A process for producing polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) is provided. The process comprises: providing a waste stream comprising lignocellulosic materials; adding an calcium-containing mineral to the waste stream; heat-treating the waste stream in the presence of the calcium-containing mineral, to obtain a treated waste stream; fermenting at least one strain of PHA-producing microorganism in a culture medium comprising the treated waste stream as a carbon source, to produce the PHA; and extracting the PHA from the PHA-producing microorganism.

The present invention relates to environmentally friendly flame retardant materials based on renewable resources and industrial waste streams. The materials have advantageous intumescent properties, charring, gas phase radical traps and thermal stability. The present invention further relates to processes for the preparation of the flame retardant materials and to plastic materials comprising said flame retardant materials.

The present invention relates to a method of improving fire retardant properties of a substrate, the method comprising providing the substrate with a graphene-based composite, wherein the graphene-based composite comprises graphene-based material intercalated with inorganic metal hydrate.