Abstract
Cellulose aerogels derived from biomass waste have emerged as a class of sustainable materials. Since the invention of the now well-established silica aerogels, these materials have been recognized for their outstanding properties, including low density, low thermal conductivity, high porosity, and high specific surface area. Such characteristics make these aerogels suitable for applications in energy storage, catalysis, drug delivery, and thermal insulation. However, challenges related to end-of-life disposal, high cost, and limited availability of precursor materials have driven increasing interest toward biodegradable and biocompatible alternatives. Furthermore, the final properties of bioaerogels strongly depend on the cellulose source, highlighting the need to systematically evaluate different biomass feedstocks to enable their transition into practical applications. Therefore, this study presents a two-stage process for producing cellulose aerogels derived from lignocellulosic biomass waste. This process involves cellulose extraction followed by aerogel fabrication, with particular emphasis on minimizing chemical waste and optimizing process parameters in alignment with green chemistry principles. The extracted cellulose and the resulting aerogels were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The findings demonstrate the successful production of a sustainable and biodegradable alternative to traditional Si-based aerogels, exhibiting comparable properties. By converting biomass waste into a high-value, tailorable material, this work highlights the potential of a circular economy-based approach, thereby addressing pressing environmental challenges.