IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,269,935
Granted Patent B2
US 12,269,935 · App. 17/558,125 · Granted Apr 8, 2025

Nanocellulose aerogels and foams

Inventors: You-Lo Hsieh (Oakland, CA); Feng Jiang (Oakland, CA)
Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
C08L1/02C08B15/005C08B15/10C08G18/7657C08J9/0085C08J9/28C08K5/5406C08L1/12H01G11/36B82Y40/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,269,935
App. No.
17/558,125
Granted
Apr 8, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method for preparing an aerogel or a foam, the method comprising: forming a reaction mixture comprising a cellulose nanofibril gel, a first solvent, and one or more crosslinking agents under conditions sufficient to crosslink the gel; and contacting the crosslinked gel with a second solvent under conditions sufficient to dry the crosslinked gel, thereby forming an aerogel or foam.

Claims (13)

1. A method for preparing an aerogel or a foam, the method comprising:

(a) freezing an aqueous suspension comprising cellulose nanofibrils, cellulose sub-micron fibers, or a combination thereof,

(b) freeze-drying the frozen suspension, thereby forming an aerogel or foam; and at least one of the following:

(c1) contacting the aerogel or foam with an organosilane under conditions sufficient to deposit the organosilane onto the aerogel or foam; or

(c2) heating the aerogel or foam under conditions sufficient to carbonize the aerogel or foam.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cellulose sub-micron fibers are prepared by a method comprising electrospinning a cellulose ester, hydrolysis of the electrospun ester, and mechanical dispersion.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the concentration of cellulose nanofibrils, cellulose sub-micron fibers, or combination thereof in the suspension is between about 0.01% and 10% by weight.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the suspension is frozen at a temperature of about −50° C.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the organosilane is methyltrichlorosilane.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing the organosilane onto the aerogel or foam comprises contacting the aerogel or foam with the organosilane at a temperature of about 85° C. for about 30 minutes under a vacuum.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein carbonizing the aerogel or foam composite comprises contacting the aerogel or foam composite with nitrogen at a temperature of at least about 800° C. for a period of about 30 minutes.

8. An aerogel or foam prepared by the method of claim 1 .

9. A supercapacitor electrode comprising the aerogel or foam of claim 8 .

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE FIRST ASSIGNOR'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 062286 FRAME: 0290. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT . Recorded Jan 9, 2023
From: HSIEH, YOU-LO; JIANG, FENG
To: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Reel/Frame 062326/0381 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2023
From: HSEIH, YOU-LO; JIANG, FENG
To: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Reel/Frame 062286/0290 →
Continuity (3)
Division 16362297 · Mar 22, 2019
Provisional Application 62649915 · Mar 29, 2018
Related Publication 20220195148A1 · Jun 23, 2022
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