Natural Carbon Source Feather-Based Three-Dimensional Hybrid Bioassemblies for Thermal Management Systems: As Sustainable Solutions

Carbon-based biocomposites with three-dimensional assembly act as sustainable solutions for energy conservation. Hybridization of natural carbon biomass, like feathers and fibers, with synthetic polymers and nanoparticles forms various insulating materials useful in this regard. In the present study, sustainable three-dimensional hybrid biocomposites were developed using recycled natural feathers, hollow synthetic fibers, and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) through a freeze-drying strategy. The synergistic integration of feather microstructures with synthetic fiber reinforcement generated strong, foamy, interconnected nano–micro porous architectures with enhanced air entrapment capability. The optimized hybrid composite, N3SF, with a 1:1 natural feather-to-synthetic fiber ratio and 10 mL PVA, exhibited a 30 to 32% increase of thermal insulation in comparison to the nonhybridized composite and a 60 to 66% increase with respect to the control natural feather. The N3SF composite established reduced thermal conductivity (∼0.030 W/m·K) with lower bulk density (0.088 g/cm 3 ) and increased porosity (98.05%) compared to nonhybridized composites. Thermal degradation studies demonstrated improved thermal stability with delayed degradation behavior and restricted polymer chain mobility within the reinforced porous network. Furthermore, the hybrid composite displayed superior mechanical resilience, including enhanced compression–recovery performance, ∼157% increase in compressive modulus with ∼106% enhancement in compressive strength, and improved viscoelastic stability under repeated deformation. The combined effects of porous architecture, hybrid fiber reinforcement, and optimized polymeric networking enabled simultaneous improvement in insulation efficiency, structural integrity, and mechanical durability. The developed compact feather-derived hybrid bioassembly, therefore, presents a promising sustainable alternative as a next-generation bioinsulator for varied thermal as well as sound management applications.