We study the control of mechanical and surface functionalities of bio-based foams varying the material composition and the preparation processes. Our targets are to optimize the rheology of the foams continuous phase to allow the flow field to manipulate the bubble structure tor biomimicry. At the same we will study the possibilities of nanoparticle utilization to modify the film composition within the foams. Especially we will concentrate on materials relatively easy to manipulate such as lignin.
Main results
Tuning hydrophobicity with lignin type and distribution
We can evenly distribute (model) nanoparticles in a foam and control the pore openness with nanoparticle type and content
Energy minimization drives the lignin to the liquid-gas interfaces