Meet Quazeem Tiamiyu, a student who turned discarded wood into insulation for beverage coolers

Quazeem Tiamiyu, a University of Maine student, developed a bio-based insulation from wood fiber for beverage coolers, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to toxic polyurethane foam.

Conventional coolers use polyurethane foam, whose raw chemicals are highly toxic and carcinogenic, causing respiratory disease and skin irritation in workers.

The new foam uses cellulose nanofibrils, wood fiber, finely ground wood flour, and a surfactant, with cellulose nanofibrils acting as a binder and stabilizer.

The bio-based foam demonstrates comparable thermal conductivity to conventional insulation materials.

Researchers are working to enhance durability and explore new manufacturing possibilities.