<p>Rice straw is an abundant lignocellulosic biomass and a promising sustainable precursor for aerogel materials. While microfibrillated cellulose (MFC), lignin, and silica have each been used in aerogel systems, their combined effects remain poorly understood. This study aimed to develop and characterize MFC-based aerogel incorporating lignin and silica extracted from rice straw, with an emphasis on enhancing thermal insulation and stability. MFC was isolated using a soda pulping method, followed by bleaching and acid hydrolysis. Lignin and silica were extracted through phosphoric acid precipitation and hydrochloric acid pretreatment, respectively. The aerogels were prepared using a NaOH/urea solvent system at a 1:4 ratio by sol gel method. The resulting MFC showed a α-cellulose content of 69.72% and a crystallinity of 80%, while the purities of lignin and silica were 54.24% and 86.25%, respectively. The aerogels had low densities ranging from 0.089 to 0.114&#xa0;g/cm³ and high porosities of 93.1% to 94.2%. Morphological analysis confirmed that lignin and silica were integrated within the porous network. The optimal mixture of MFC, lignin, and silica at a 3:1:2 ratio exhibited the lowest thermal conductivity and the highest thermal stability, indicating the effectiveness of lignin-silica synergy in enhancing aerogel performance for thermal insulation.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>