Methylcellulose as a non-bonding gelling agent for calcium chloride methanol fuel gels

Carbohydrate-based fuel gels find diverse applications across industries ranging from renewable energy and transportation to military and emergency preparedness. This study investigates the thermal properties, gel characteristics, combustion performance, micro-, and nano-scale structure of methylcellulose (MC) in methanol and the effect of calcium chloride (CaCl2) addition. The results show that MC exhibits viscoelastic phase separation due to the lower critical solution temperature, resulting in gelation at the 22 wt%. Thermogravimetric analysis reveals good thermal stability of MC in methanol, with a single decomposition stage. Adding CaCl2 modifies rheological behavior and enhances the thermal properties of the MC/methanol gel, with improved combustion and ignition performance due to the formation of CaCl2-methanolates. Small-angle X-ray scattering analysis indicates changes in nanoscale aggregates, correlation length, and fractal dimension with increasing CaCl2 content. This study provides valuable insights into the properties of MC-based fuel gels and their potential applications.