| Title: |
Gradient-Delignified Wood as a Sustainable Anisotropic Insulation Material |
| Authors: |
Chin, Yi, Hien; Ouldboukhitine, Salah-Eddine; Vial, Christophe; Gril, Joseph; Moutou Pitti, Rostand; Labonne, Nicolas; Biwole, Pascal |
| Contributors: |
Institut Pascal (IP); Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA)-Institut national polytechnique Clermont Auvergne (INP Clermont Auvergne); Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA)-Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA); Dagard Company; Laboratoire de Physique et Physiologie Intégratives de l’Arbre en environnement Fluctuant (PIAF); Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA); Centre national de la recherche scientifique et technologique (CENAREST); Centre Procédés, Énergies Renouvelables, Systèmes Énergétiques (PERSEE); Mines Paris - PSL (École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris); Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL); California State Polytechnic University Pomona (CAL POLY POMONA); This research was funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR) and the company Dagard, under the France Relance plan. |
| Source: |
ISSN: 1996-1073 ; Energies ; https://hal.science/hal-05327841 ; Energies, 2025, 18 (20), pp.5519. ⟨10.3390/en18205519⟩. |
| Publisher Information: |
CCSD; MDPI |
| Publication Year: |
2025 |
| Collection: |
MINES ParisTech: Archive ouverte / Open Archive (HAL) |
| Subject Terms: |
wood nanotechnology; thermal insulation; poplar; delignification; characterization; bio-based material; [SPI.MAT]Engineering Sciences [physics]/Materials |
| Description: |
International audience ; Sustainable construction requires bio-based insulation materials that achieve low thermal conductivity without compromising mechanical performance. Poplar wood, which is locally abundant in France, serves as an effective carbon sink and represents a promising resource. While recent research has explored bulk wood delignification, the characterization of such modified materials remains insufficient for practical implementation. In this work, we report the development of gradient-delignified poplar wood through partial delignification using alcoholysis and sodium chlorite bleaching. This process produced a hybrid structure with delignified outer layers and a lignified core. Microscopic analyses revealed that lignin removal led to cell wall swelling and the formation of nano-scale pores. Compared to native poplar, the modified material showed lower transverse thermal conductivity (0.057 W·m−1·K−1), higher specific heat capacity (1.4 kJ·K−1·kg−1 at 20 °C), increased hygroscopicity, and reduced longitudinal compressive strength (15.9 MPa). The retention of the lignified core preserved dimensional stability and load-bearing capacity, thereby overcoming the limitations of complete delignification. In contrast to synthetic foams or mineral wools, these findings demonstrate that partial delignification can produce anisotropic wood-based insulation materials that combine thermal efficiency, mechanical stability, and biodegradability. This work highlights the potential of wood modification nanotechnology to reduce the carbon footprint of building materials. |
| Document Type: |
article in journal/newspaper |
| Language: |
English |
| DOI: |
10.3390/en18205519 |
| Availability: |
https://hal.science/hal-05327841; https://hal.science/hal-05327841v1/document; https://hal.science/hal-05327841v1/file/energies-18-05519-with-cover-Gradient-Delignified%20Wood%20as%20a%20Sustainable%20Anisotropic%20Insulation%20Material.pdf; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18205519 |
| Rights: |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ; info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.66DF7DF4 |
| Database: |
BASE |