High Thermal Insulation Properties Research Articles

Development of polyamide foam by supercritical CO2: Low density, anti-shrinkage and thermal insulation

Saving energy and reducing environmental harmful emissions have become a global concern, so the foam thermal insulation materials are of great significance for saving energy, reducing greenhouse effect and ensuring the comfort and safety requirements of buildings. Polyamide12 (PA12) has outstanding weather resistance, mechanical stability and termite resistance, which is a promising building material. Herein, we prepared a series of PA12 foams by using supercritical carbon dioxide (Sc-CO2) as foaming agent, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) as a blend modification material, tridehydroglycerol isocyanurate (TGIC) as chain extender improved the cells wall strength and stability. When the PA12 and PMMA blending ratio was 70:30 and TGIC content was 0.2 phr, the foam density was 0.02 g/cm3, and the thermal conductivity of the foam was as low as 0.0302 W/m·K. Moreover, the influence of viscosity gradually increased with the increase of PMMA as shown by tanδ; at the same time, as an amorphous material, PMMA enlarged the melting range of the blends and reduced the enthalpy of melting. Therefore, the introduction of PMMA increased the temperature range of the foaming window to170–190 °C. This study provided an effective method for the design of foams with low density, low shrinkage, excellent mechanical properties and high thermal insulation properties, which has broad PA12 foam application prospects in the fields of buildings, such as wall or roof insulation.

Preparation of a novel bio‐based aerogel with excellent hydrophobic flame‐retardancy and high thermal insulation performance

AbstractSodium‐alginate‐based aerogels possess wide prospects in the fields of packaging, aerospace, industrial construction and transportation because of their environmental compatibility and thermal insulation, but it is still a challenge to obtain a sodium alginate‐based aerogel with high flame retardancy and good thermal insulation. Herein, a sodium‐alginate‐based aerogel with high flame retardancy, thermal insulation and good hydrophobic properties was prepared by two‐step crosslinking strategy of phytic acid and metal ions and liquid phase deposition of trans‐cinnamic acid. As a result, the prepared SA/PA Mn+ aerogels obtained excellent flame retardancy (UL‐94 V‐0, LOI 50.1%) and rapid self‐extinguishing, and SA/PA Mn+ aerogels obtained good hydrophobic ability (CA = 134.2°). In addition, the mechanical properties of SA/PA Mn+ aerogels have also been improved, the compressive modulus increased from 0.66 to 6.37 MPa, and the specific modulus increased from 15.7 to 140.2 MPa cm −3 g−1. This research broadens the application of bio‐based flame‐retardant aerogels in the fields of packaging, aerospace, industrial construction and transportation.

Extraction of Mechanical Parameters via Molecular Dynamics Simulation: Application to Polyimides.

Polyimides feature a vast number of industrial applications due to their high thermal stability and insulation properties. These polymers exhibit an exceptional combination of thermal stability and mechanical toughness, which allows the semiconductor industry to use them as a mechanical stress buffer. Here, we perform all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for such materials to assess their predictive capability with respect to their mechanical properties. Specifically, we demonstrate that the OPLS-AA force field can be used to successfully describe an often-used polyimide (i.e., Kapton®) with respect to its Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio. Two different modes to extract these mechanical properties from MD simulations are presented. In particular, our continuous deformation mode simulations almost perfectly replicate the results from real-world experimental data and are in line with predictions using other MD force fields. Our thorough investigation of Kapton® also includes an analysis of the anisotropy of normal stresses, as well as the effect of simulation properties on the predicted Young's moduli. Furthermore, the polyimide pyromellitic dianhydride/2-(4-aminophenyl)-1H-benzimidazole-5-amine (PMDA-BIA) was investigated to draw a more thorough picture of the usability of the OPLS-AA force field for polyimides.

Ionothermal synthesis of fiber-reinforced carbon aerogel composites from fructose with high mechanical and thermal insulation properties

In this work, carbon fiber reinforced biomass carbon aerogel composites (CF/CA) were prepared by ionothermal synthesis using fructose as the raw material and oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber as the reinforcing agent. During the preparation process, we have mixed fructose with oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers and subjected them to a carbonization process under the conditions of hot ionic liquids. By controlling the reaction conditions, we successfully prepared fiber-reinforced carbon aerogel composites with excellent properties. The CF/CA has a high compressive strength (3.306 MPa). At the same time, the original low thermal conductivity (0.106 W·m−1·K−1) and low density (0.2976 g/cm2) of the carbon aerogel are maintained. In this work, the mechanical properties of carbon aerogel are improved to 230 % without changing the thermal insulation properties of CA, which makes a certain progress compared with the similar research. These excellent properties make CF/CA a promising engineering material. Moreover, we found that about 95 % of the ionic liquid can be recovered by evaporating under reduced pressure, and the recovered ionic liquid is still usable. This discovery provides a possibility for the green and sustainable development of the preparation process of carbon aerogels. This study provides new ideas and methods to further optimize the properties and applications of biomass carbon aerogels and their composites.

Construction of alumina framework with a sponge template toward highly thermally conductive epoxy composites

AbstractCeramic‐based polymer composites are commonly utilized as thermal management materials due to their high thermal conductivity and electrical insulation properties. One efficient method to enhance the thermal conductivity of these composites is by constructing a three‐dimensional thermal conductive network within the polymer matrix. In this study, alumina was coated onto the surface of polyurethane (PU) foam, followed by high‐temperature removal of the PU foam and sintering of the alumina sheets to obtain a continuous alumina framework. Epoxy resin was then infiltrated into this alumina framework to fabricate highly thermally conductive EP/f‐Al2O3 composites. The EP/f‐Al2O3 composite achieved a thermal conductivity of 2.44 W m−1 K−1 when the filler content of 26.8 vol%, representing a 400% improvement compared to EP/Al2O3 composite with randomly dispersed fillers, and a remarkable 1180% enhancement compared to epoxy resin. Infrared thermal imaging also confirmed the excellent heat dissipation capability of the EP/f‐Al2O3 composites. Overall, this research presents an effective method for producing highly thermally conductive and electrically insulating composites that can be used in electronic thermal management applications.Highlights Fabrication of porous Al2O3 frameworks/epoxy composites. Porous Al2O3 frameworks were fabricated by polyurethane foam template. The obtained EP/f‐Al2O3 composite exhibited excellent thermal conductivity.

Highly Optically Selective and Thermally Insulating Porous Calcium Silicate Composite SiO2 Aerogel Coating for Daytime Radiative Cooling.

Daytime radiative cooling technology offers a low-carbon, environmentally friendly, and nonpower-consuming approach to realize building energy conservation. It is important to design materials with high solar reflectivity and high infrared emissivity in atmospheric windows. Herein, a porous calcium silicate composite SiO2 aerogel water-borne coating with strong passive radiative cooling and high thermal insulation properties is proposed, which shows an exceptional solar reflectance of 94%, high sky window emissivity of 96%, and 0.0854 W/m·K thermal conductivity. On the SiO2/CaSiO3 radiative cooling coating (SiO2-CS-coating), a strategy is proposed to enhance the atmospheric window emissivity by lattice resonance, which is attributed to the eight-membered ring structure of porous calcium silicate, thereby increasing the atmospheric window emissivity. In the daytime test (solar irradiance 900W/m2, ambient temperature 43 °C, wind speed 0.53 m/s, humidity 25%), the temperature inside the box can achieve a cooling temperature of 13 °C lower than that of the environment, which is 30 °C, and the theoretical cooling power is 96 W/m2. Compared with the commercial white coating, SiO2-CS-coating can save 70 kW·h of electric energy in 1 month, and the energy consumption is reduced by 36%. The work provides a scalable, widely applicable radiative-cooling coating for building comfort, which can greatly reduce indoor temperatures and is suitable for building surfaces.

Cellulose nanofibrils as a bio-based binder for wood fiber composite insulation panels with enhanced thermo-mechanical properties for structural wall sheathing applications

A low-density wood fiber insulation panel (WIP) composite was developed with 100 % petrochemical-free, bio-based binder with high mechanical strength, water resistance and thermal insulation properties. This study investigated the manufacturing process of composite WIPs made with mechanical pulp fibers with cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs), lignin-containing CNFs (LCNFs), hybridized CNFs-LCNFs, and CNFs-starch as a binder on different scales and evaluated the effects of binder type and content on the panels’ physical, mechanical, and thermal properties. All panels had excellent thermal resistivity values, which increased with the decrease in density. The WIPs made with LCNFs as binder had lower mechanical properties, but it was possible to replace 20 % CNFs with LCNFs to obtain the same performance as neat CNFs as the binder. Untreated panels had poor water resistance but the water absorption properties were significantly improved with the addition wax. The WIPs made with 5 % and 7.5 % binder content and 2 % wax addition could fulfill the criteria of regular and structural wall sheathing applications, respectively. Overall, the results confirm the potential of CNFs and LCNFs to be used as 100 % bio-based adhesives to produce eco-friendly composite WIPs with excellent thermo-mechanical properties to be used for regular and structural wall sheathing applications.

Empirical formula of buckle propagation pressure for sandwich pipes with polymer core material

The sandwich pipe, with its high hydraulic pressure resistance and thermal insulation properties, presents itself as a potential choice for deepwater oil and gas exploration. This study developed a 3D finite element numerical model using ABAQUS software to simulate the collapse propagation of sandwich pipes under the high external hydraulic pressure. A parametric analysis was undertaken using a numerical model, which had been calibrated by experimental tests. The study aimed to assess the contributions of material properties, such as yield strength and Young's modulus, as well as geometric dimension, to the collapse propagation behavior of the sandwich pipe. Moreover, a simplified empirical formula was formulated to research the propagation pressure of polymer sandwich pipes. The research also investigated the contribution of the interaction property between the core layer and inner/outer steel layer on the propagation pressure. An interfacial factor was incorporated into the present simplified empirical formula. The empirical formula was validated using experimental results and data from various sources, including real interlayer interactions observed during tests. The results indicate that this formula offers an accurate prediction of the propagation pressure for polymer sandwich pipes.

Linkage Effect Induced by Hierarchical Architecture in Magnetic MXene-based Microwave Absorber.

Hierarchical architecture engineering is desirable in integrating the physical-chemical behaviors and macroscopic properties of materials, which present great potential for developing multifunctional microwave absorption materials. However, the intrinsic mechanisms and correlation conditions among cellular units have not been revealed, which are insufficient to maximize the fusion of superior microwave absorption (MA) and derived multifunctionality. Herein, based on three models (disordered structure, porous structure, lamellar structure) of structural units, a range of MXene-aerogels with variable constructions are fabricated by a top-down ice template method. The aerogel with lamellar structure with a density of only 0.015g cm-3 exhibits the best MA performance (minimum reflection loss: -53.87dB, effective absorption bandwidth:6.84GHz) at a 6wt.% filling ratio, which is preferred over alternative aerogels with variable configurations. This work elucidates the relationship between the hierarchical architecture and the superior MA performance. Further, the MXene/CoNi Composite aerogel with lamellar structure exhibits >90% compression stretch after 1000 cycles, excellent compressive properties, and elasticity, as well as high hydrophobicity and thermal insulation properties, broadening the versatility of MXene-based aerogel applications. In short, through precise microstructure design, this work provides a conceptually novel strategy to realize the integration of electromagnetic stealth, thermal insulation, and load-bearing capability simultaneously.

Multilayered mullite ceramics with anisotropic properties

Anisotropic layered porous ceramics are crucial to satisfy the demand for devices with directional functions. However, challenges, such as complicated preparation processes and difficulties in regulating the oriented structure, severely limit their application. Here, multilayered mullite ceramics (MLMCs) with specific porosities and strongly anisotropy properties, were prepared by designing porous thin-layered units and an interlayer layout, in combination with a simple gel-casting. Benefiting from the suitable slurry properties, the samples did not show obvious defects, and a perfect bonding was observed between the layers. The optimized MLMCs exhibited a porosity of 65.12%, the differences in compressive and flexural strengths of 14 (±0.7) and 5 (±0.2) MPa in different pressure directions respectively, and the anisotropy factor of thermal conductivity up to 0.98, as well as exhibited good high temperature thermal insulation properties. Ultimately, the MLMCs formed transverse heat conductor and longitudinal heat insulation heat-transfer patterns, with promising applications in thermal insulation.

The impact of thermal treatment on the mechanical properties and thermal insulation of building materials enhanced with two types of volcanic scoria additives

The need to substitute cement with eco-friendly building materials has increased in recent years, and attempts to enhance the mechanical and thermal insulation properties of these materials are ongoing. Therefore, the present study aims to use two different types of scoria as substitutes for cement in building materials and investigate the impact of thermal treatment on improving mechanical characteristics and thermal insulation. Black and red volcanic scoria, both before and after thermal treatment at different temperatures (600, 700, 800, and 900 °C), were utilized as cement substitutes in concrete specimens. Concrete specimens with different proportions (0–30 % wt.%) of black and red scoria were cured for different durations (14, 21, 28, and 91 days), and then tested for compressive strength. The compressive strength of specimens increased with increasing curing time, but decreased when scoria content exceeded wt.10 %. Furthermore, thermal treatment positively impacted the compressive strength of concrete specimens with red scoria, but negatively affected those with black scoria, owing to the increase in crystalline phases with increasing temperature. The specimen containing 10 % red scoria thermally treated at 900 °C and cured for 91 days yielded the highest compressive strength (60 ± 1.22 MPa). Further, the thermal insulation analysis of the concrete specimens with each type of thermally treated scoria was performed on day 28 of curing. The thermal insulation increased as the proportions of black and red scoria increased, which involved increasing the thermal treatment temperature of both scoria from room temperature to 900 °C on day 28 of curing. Additionally, the thermal insulation of concrete specimens treated with red scoria was more optimized than that of concrete treated with black scoria, particularly at high thermal treatment temperatures, and more than seven times as much as that of ordinary concrete. The lowest thermal conductivity value of the specimen was 0.157 ± 0.01 W m−1 K−1. Based on the findings, concrete with thermally treated red scoria is a suitable eco-friendly building material with high compressive strength and efficient thermal insulation properties.

Investigation of novel expandable polystyrene/alumina aerogel composite thermal insulation material

Expandable polystyrene (EPS) foam is one of the most commonly used building thermal insulation materials due to its low thermal conductivity, apparent density as well and low cost. However, its high flammability and the release of a large number of toxic gases during combustion hinder its application. In this paper, using EPS foam and alumina aerogel (Al2O3) as insulation components, epoxy resin (EP) as a binder, and expandable graphite (EG) and ammonium polyphosphate (APP) as composite flame-retardant, a novel organic-inorganic composite thermal insulation material (EPS-AEA) was designed and fabricated. Experiment results showed that adding Al2O3 to EPS could further reduce the thermal conductivity of the obtained composite, and improve its mechanical properties. The addition of EG and APP composite flame-retardant could markedly enhance flame-retardant performance. With the addition of 4.17% Al2O3, and 50% EG/APP (1/1 mass ratio), the obtained EPS-AEA-1/1 composite showed superior fire resistance (reaching UL-94 V-0 rating and limiting oxygen index (LOI of 40.6%), high thermal insulation (thermal conductivity of 0.0487 W/(m·K)and applicable mechanical properties. In addition, EPS-AEA had excellent anti-hygroscopic properties (moisture ab-desorption rate within 0.5%) and fairly low toxic gas emissions during combustion, indicating its potential in practical application.

High-performance flexible thermoelectric generator based on silicone rubber and cover with graphite sheet

Harvesting thermal energy through a flexible thermoelectric generator (FTEG) offers an excellent micro-power solution for energizing node sensors in the realm of Internet of Things (IoT) and wearable electronics. Nonetheless, current FTEG suffer from drawbacks including low efficiency, significant thermal resistance, and complex manufacturing procedures. In this study, a high-performance FTEG using silicone rubber was designed and fabricated using a straightforward process. The finite-element method was used to optimize the copper electrode thickness, and the bendable substrate layers with various thermal conductivity were studied for the first time. The copper electrode thickness of 0.1 mm was selected because it offers high flexibility and bendability while still providing a relatively high-power output. The 5 × 5 cm2 FTEG device was fabricated and covered with a bendable substrate. Silicon rubber (0.08 Wm−1K−1), silicon rubber added 5% graphene (0.14 Wm−1K−1), and graphite sheets (15 Wm−1K−1) were used as bendable substrates. The FTEG cover with graphite sheets has a maximum output voltage of 1.1 V under a temperature difference (ΔT) at 65 °C. Its maximum output power is 162.4 mW, corresponding to a power density of 6499.1 µW/cm2 under the same above ΔT. The experimental findings indicated that integrating a bendable substrate with high thermal conductivity and electrical insulation properties enhances the performance of the FTEG.

High thermal insulation and high strength SiBCN@SiC double network ceramic composite aerogel

Silicon carbide (SiC) fiber materials prepared by precursor conversion method have attracted extensive attention in recent years due to their excellent high temperature resistance and thermal insulation properties. Herein, a novel SiBCN/SiC dual network ceramic composite aerogel with the three-dimensional (3D) porous SiC fiber network obtained by direct electrospinning as the first network and SiBCN aerogel as the second network was prepared by combining electrospinning with sol-gel technology and supercritical drying technology. The microstructure, phase composition, pore size distribution, compressive resistance, thermal insulation and related mechanisms of the 3D SiC fiber network and composite aerogel at different heat treatment temperatures were investigated in detail. The results show that the constructed double-network structure can make up for the heat transfer problem of a single SiC fiber network and further reduce its thermal conductivity, so that the prepared composite aerogel exhibits a lower thermal conductivity (∼0.0316 W m−1 K−1). In addition, the unique double network structure endows the composite aerogel with excellent compressive properties (2.56–2.89 MPa).

Improved creep resistance of AZ91 magnesium alloy after the micro arc oxidation process

AZ91 Mg alloy has a wide range of applications in the automotive industry, although its use is restricted to powertrain applications due to its low creep resistance. In this study, the effect of the micro arc oxidation (MAO) coating on the creep resistance of an AZ91 Mg alloy was investigated to take advantage of the coating layer with high thermal insulation properties. In this context, the MAO process was applied to AZ91 Mg alloy using a bipolar pulsed DC power supply. The creep tests were conducted at different temperatures (150–200 °C) and stresses (25–90 MPa) for the bare and coated samples, and the minimum creep rates were determined. It has been shown that the MAO coating reduces the creep rate of the bare alloy by 35%–84% depending on the temperature and the stress due to the stress-reducing effect and thermal barrier properties of the MAO coating. Based on the calculated creep activation energy and stress exponents, creep mechanisms were proposed for the bare and coated alloys. Effective activation energy was also calculated and lattice diffusion-controlled dislocation climb was determined to be the effective creep mechanism for both samples at lower stresses, while pipe diffusion-controlled dislocation climb was effective at higher stresses.

Effects of Carbon Nanotubes on Thermal Behavior of Epoxy Resin Composites

Human society’s need to build low-weight, high-strength and durable structures has increased the demand for composite materials. In this case, composites are used where high mechanical strength, low weight, sound and thermal insulation properties are required. One of the most important issues now is designing materials and coatings aimed at reducing heat loss and resisting high temperatures. One way to address this problem is to develop a technique for preparing and applying composite materials that slow down their heating applied to a surface. In this study, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) reinforced composites were fabricated using silicone molding to be applied to honeycomb sandwich structures. To determine the effect of CNTs on the thermal behavior of the sandwich panels, different weight percentages of this material (0.025, 0.05. 0.075 wt.%) were added to the epoxy resin. The results showed that the thermal stability of the epoxy composites was directly related to the increase in the percentage of CNTs as the CNT content increased to 0.075 wt.%, and the thermal degradation temperature of the epoxy composites increased by 14 °C. In addition, the energy absorption increased by 4.6% with an increase in CNTs up to 0.075 wt.%. Density measurements showed that the density of the nanocomposite samples increased by adding CNTs to pure epoxy resin. The actual densities of the samples reinforced with 0.025, 0.05, and 0.075 wt.% CNTs are 0.925, 0.926, and 0.927 of the theoretical density, respectively. Since the CNT dispersion uniformity in the epoxy matrix can significantly affect the properties of the composites, in this study, a new method of dispersing CNTs in the epoxy resin matrix resulted in higher thermal conductivity while using lower amounts of CNTs compared to other studies. The storage modulus of the epoxy matrix composites reinforced with 0.05 wt.% in this study was 25.9% and 6.9% higher than that from the previous study reinforced with 0.1 wt.% and 0.25 wt.% CNTs, respectively. Furthermore, the tanδ and loss modulus of the composite reinforced with 0.05 wt.% CNTs in this study were 52% and 54.5% higher than that from the previous study with 0.1 wt.% CNTs, respectively. This study provided an optimal approach for designers and engineers who want to effectively design their composite honeycomb sandwich structure with better thermal properties.

Properties of Lightweight Insulating Boards Produced from Triticale Straw Particles.

Insulating materials made from straw are becoming increasingly popular in the construction industry. Straw can be used in the construction of buildings as uncompressed straw chips or in the form of compressed panels. This study aimed to determine the possibility of manufacturing boards from straw particles with densities in the range of 150-400 kg/m3, allowing favorable mechanical properties while simultaneously providing high thermal and acoustic insulation properties. The study also analyzed the influence of the degree of carpentry density on the quality of the manufactured boards. The study shows that insulation boards can be produced from straw particles with satisfactory properties already at densities in the range of 200-150 kg/m3. Boards with this density have a compressive strength of 150 kPa, thermal resistance of 0.033-0.046 W/(m·K), and a sound absorption coefficient above 0.31.

Janus microbial membrane constructed by multiple biological self-assembly for photothermal conversion

Biological self-assembly as a kind of biological spontaneous behavior presents low energy consumption and high efficiency. In this work, biomass membrane is closely combined with carbon membrane derived from microorganism by biological self-assembly, forming Janus membrane (FAS-MC@M). The biomass-derived carbon membrane is endowed with superior photothermal conversion efficiency, also with the enhanced salt resistance via its hydrophobic nature and salt excretion domains. On the other hand, the biomass layer with good hydrophilicity and abundant capillary transport pipes ensure rapid water transfer to the Janus interface, conducing to stable heat exchange. The intrinsic micropores of the mycelium fiber can secure the reliable salt ion exchange between the tube water and bulk water during evaporation, which inhibit salt crystals formation as well. Meanwhile, biomass layer also reveals the relatively high thermal insulation properties, which can lower heat loss of the carbon membrane and improve the heat accumulation effect. For oily sewage, the biomass layer is also effective in protecting the photoheat exchange interface (carbon membrane) from oil pollution. In fact, the Janus evaporator in this work achieved 3.2 kg m-2h−1 evaporation rate under one solar intensity, showing desirable evaporation desalination potential.

Investigations of Three‐Layer Systems Intended for Protective Clothing for Prematurely Born Babies

AbstractOne of the most significant problems occurring among premature babies is high transepidermal water loss and associated heat loss. To prevent this problem protective clothing for premature babies is developed which consists of a membrane that allows partial transmission of water vapor, combined with other textile materials. The purpose of this work is to characterize two pre‐selected three‐layer systems in terms of biophysical properties that fulfill their requirements for premature infants. Samples of materials are investigated to determine biophysical comfort (tests of thermal resistance, water vapor resistance and air permeability), mass per unit area and thickness. In order to visualize the structure and chemical composition of the tested materials, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were performed. The mechanical properties of the investigated materials and the evaluation of the total hand value were also characterized; the samples were tested on a Kawabata Evaluation System (KES) device. Protective garments designed for premature babies should be characterized by high thermal insulation and moisture barrier properties. In addition, it should have optimal air permeability properties and fairly low surface weight in order not to burden the baby's delicate skin.

Ambient pressure dried silica aerogel – Melamine foam composite with superhydrophobic, self-cleaning and water remediation properties

With their low density, high surface area and thermal insulation properties, silica aerogels are proper candidates for water remediation or thermal insulation applications. However, their fragility, lengthy and costly fabrication process restricts their application. The inclusion of a flexible melamine foam (MF) along with a co-precursor system consisting of monomeric methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) and polymeric polyvinyltrimethoxysilane (PVTMS) can make the fabrication process feasible and improve the durability of aerogels. Also, PVTMS with a doubly-crosslinked network brings mesoporous structure and high surface area to MF. MTMS alters the hydrophilic nature of MF to superhydrophobic, without surface modification steps.Varying concentration of PVTMS and MTMS were used to fabricate the MF- aerogel composite. Acid and base catalysts were used for the hydrolysis and condensation. The MF-aerogel composite was obtained using ambient pressure drying, and the overall fabrication process took around 48 hrs.The inclusion of MF enabled the ambient pressure drying and brought flexibility for silica aerogels. On the other hand, the presence of mesoporous aerogels improved the thermal insulation properties of MF (λ ∼ 0.027 W·m−1·K−1), making it superhydrophobic (θ ∼ 160°), self-cleaning, and moisture resistant. Excellent oil adsorption (up to 36 g·g−1) and oil–water separation performance (oil flux of 120,000 L·m−2·hr−1) of MF-aerogel composite were also confirmed.