Effective biobased thermally insulating materials are crucial to addressing the escalating concerns surrounding climate change and plastic waste. Numerous experimental biobased foams have demonstrated properties that are either equal to or superior to those of traditional foams employed in the construction sector. The comprehensive review titled “Recent Advances in Biobased Foams and Foam Composites for Construction Applications” by DSouza et al. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cben.202300014) specifically focuses on the fabrication methods, advancements, and future prospects of biobased polyurethanes (BPU), biobased phenol formaldehyde (BPF), and cellulose nanofibers (CNF) foams for application in residential construction. To be a suitable material for construction, a biobased foam must be an excellent thermal insulator (possessing low thermal conductivity), a fire retardant (with high limiting oxygen index) and possess remarkable mechanical properties. The cover image thus depicts forest waste-based foams that meet the design criteria for construction applications. [Credits: Riddhi Gadre for the initial design and InMyWork Studio team for the final design]

Biobased Foams for Construction Applications. Copyright: Glen Cletus DSouza, Harrison Ng, Paul Charpentier, Chunbao Charles Xu