Scaling up hybrid insulation: Integration of lignocellulose and phase change materials for sustainable thermal management

This research addresses the need for eco-friendly, thermally protective packaging materials. A scalable process was developed that minimizes greenhouse gas emissions and produces hybrid materials with improved thermal insulation, energy storage, mechanical resilience, and water resistance. By using lignocellulose as a porous carrier and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a phase change material (PCM), convective drying proved more effective for large-scale production than freeze-drying. The resulting materials are flexible, lightweight (0.03–0.04 g/cm³), and hydrophobic. They exhibit suitable thermal properties with latent heat capacities within 110–123 J/g and thermal conductivities within 0.037–0.042 W/mK. These hybrids are leak-free during phase transitions with tunable melting points, confirming their practicality. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) shows that this method uses less energy and produces fewer carbon emissions than freeze-drying. Thus, convective drying is a promising scaling-up method for producing effective, eco-friendly temperature-responsive insulation materials for various applications requiring temperature control. • Lignocellulose-PCM hybrids offer enhanced thermal and leakage-free phase change properties. • Lignin enhances hydrophobicity in the phase change hybrids. • Convective drying produces low-density, high-performance insulation materials. • LCA supports convective drying over freeze drying, reducing energy use and emissions.