Structural, morphological, mechanical, and thermal insulation properties of multiple-phase magnesium silicate ceramic fibers electrospun from dual-precursor sols

Abstract

As the research for advanced materials suitable for high-temperature uses continues, the need for oxide ceramic micro-nanofibers with outstanding mechanical and thermal properties becomes increasingly important. By incorporating two types of magnesium sources, specifically Mg(CH3COO)2·4H2O and MgCl2·6H2O, into the precursor, a range of fibers made of magnesium silicate ceramics was produced through electrospinning. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis verified that the resulting multiple phases included MgO, MgSiO3, Mg2SiO4, and amorphous SiO2, with the phase composition being affected by the diffusion reaction of Mg ions. The fibers produced using the dual-precursor method maintained a stable morphology with a uniform and compact structure after undergoing high-temperature treatments ranging from 1000 to 1200 °C. This study is the first to report the tensile strength of magnesium silicate fibrous membranes, which was found to be 1.54 ± 0.27 MPa and 1.21 ± 0.73 MPa after heat treatment at 800 °C and 1000 °C, respectively. Furthermore, these fibrous membranes demonstrated dependable thermal insulation properties within the testing range of 500–1000 °C, along with a low thermal conductivity at room temperature of 0.0301–0.0306 W m−1·K−1. Characterized by their impressive mechanical strength and high temperature stability, magnesium silicate ceramic micro-nanofibers show significant potential for various applications in the targeted field.