Maine graduate creates wood-based foam to replace toxic cooler insulation

Quazeem Tiamiyu, a graduate research assistant at the University of Maine’s Laboratory of Renewable Nanomaterials, created a wood-derived foam intended to replace the carcinogenic polyurethane used in cooler insulation. By breaking down wood pulp into cellulose nanofibrils and mixing them with finely ground wood flour and a surfactant, his team produced a bio-based foam that matches polyurethane’s thermal conductivity in lab tests.

The material is formed by blending, molding, draining and drying before being encased in a plastic shell. Unlike the fast liquid-injection method used for polyurethane, this process adds drying and handling steps, raising production costs. Current prototypes lose insulating ability when crushed, so the researchers aim to enhance durability and test ice-retention performance. Future work includes investigating whether the cured foam can be re-dispersed in water for flexible molding by manufacturers.