Solution blow spun flexible zirconia nanofibers toward high-performance 2D and 3D nanostructures

Abstract

Polymer templates are critical in the preparation of ceramic fibers from precursor solutions, but the available options are limited. Here, ZrO2 nanofiber films and aerogels are developed by solution blow spinning method using hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as templates. The effects of HPMC ratio, polymer concentration, and calcination temperature on the morphology and structure of the ZrO2 nanofibers are investigated. The nanofiber films with an areal density of 20 mg cm−2 exhibit excellent filtration property, achieving a filtration efficiency of 94.94% and a pressure drop of 136 Pa at an airflow velocity of 32 L min−1. The nanofiber aerogels display low density of 50 mg cm−3, low thermal conductivity of 0.039 W m−1 K−1, as well as superior compressibility, demonstrating significant potential for thermal protection applications. This work expands the formation template option of ceramic fibers, offering significant guidance in the development of flexible, high-temperature-resistant ceramic fiber materials.