SiO2 Aerogel Research Articles

Theoretical study on the effective thermal conductivity of silica aerogels based on a cross-aligned and cubic pore model

Abstract Aerogel nanoporous materials possess high porosity, high specific surface area, and extremely low density due to their unique nanoscale network structure. Moreover, their effective thermal conductivity is very l1ow, making them a new type of lightweight and highly efficient nanoscale super-insulating material. However, predicting their effective thermal conductivity is challenging due to their uneven pore size distribution. To investigate the internal heat transfer mechanism of aerogel nanoporous materials, this study constructed cross-aligned and cubic pore model (CACPM) based on the actual pore arrangement of SiO2 aerogel. Based on the established cross-aligned and cubic pore model (CACPM), the effective thermal conductivity expression for aerogel was derived by simultaneously considering gas-phase heat conduction, solid-phase heat conduction, and radiative heat transfer. The derived expression was then compared with available experimental data and the Wei structure model. The results indicate that, according to the model established in this study for the derived thermal conductivity formula of silica aerogel, for powdery silica aerogel under the conditions of T=298K, a 2=0.85, D 1=90μm, ρ=128kg/m3, within the pressure range of 0-105Pa, the average deviation between the calculated values and experimental values is 10.51%. In the pressure range of 103-104Pa, the deviation between calculated values and experimental values is within 4%. Under these conditions, the model has certain reference value in engineering verification. This study also makes a certain contribution to the research of aerogel thermal conductivity heat transfer model and calculation formula.

Structural properties and barrier performance of low-cost aerogel composites for building insulation

The high cost and weak mechanical properties of silica-based aerogel seriously affect its wide application in the field of building insulation. In this paper, low-cost SiO2 aerogel (WSA) was prepared based on water glass/water system, and the modulation of aerogel network structure was achieved under the dual effect of sodium methylsilicate (SMS) and pH. WSA exhibits extremely low density (∼88.5 kg/m3) and thermal conductivity (0.02114 W/(m·K)) as well as high hydrophobicity (150°). The cost of WSA is 53 % lower compared to atmospheric pressure drying and 21.5 % lower than commercial aerogel. On this basis, rock wool fiber felt (RWF) and ultrafine glass fiber wool felt (UGFW) were modified with WSA. The effect of fiber arrangement on the force-thermal coupling property of WSA@RWF was investigated. Meanwhile, the addition of WSA reduced the volumetric water absorption of RWF by 85.1 % and 91.4 %. Since the sandwich structure, the thermal conductivity of WSA@UGFW can be as low as 0.01168 W/(m·W), which is 44.7 % and 44.4 % lower than that of UGFW and WSA. It features a low density of 45.7 kg/m3 and a high hydrophobicity angle of 155.87°. In addition, the compressive strength of WSA@UGFW is increased by 16.5 times. Therefore, the aerogel materials prepared in this paper have great application potential as fire-proof building insulation materials.

Enhancing thermal safety of hydrophobic SiO2 aerogels through introducing ammonium polyphosphate intercalated layered double hydroxides

Enhancing the thermal safety of hydrophobic SiO2 aerogels (SAs) is crucial for its practical thermal insulation applications. Here, we explore a facile method to enhance the thermal safety of hydrophobic SAs with the introduction of ammonium polyphosphate intercalated layered double hydroxide (APP-LDH). The obtained results show that as-produced APP-LDH/SA composites maintain excellent fundamental properties, including low density (0.14–0.16 g/cm3), high porosity (92.8–93.5 %), high specific surface area (680.0–762.6 m2/g), and low thermal conductivity (25.3–26.9 mW/m/K). Notably, APP-LDH effectively inhibits the thermal oxidation decomposition of SAs. In comparison to pristine SAs and those modified solely with LDH, the APP-LDH/SA composites exhibit significantly improved thermal stability. The gross calorific value of the APP-LDH/SA-20 % (i.e., containing 20 wt% APP-LDH) decreases by 13.9 % and 5.2 % compared with that of neat SAs and SAs modified solely with 20 wt% LDH, respectively. The improved thermal stability and reduced gross calorific value completely confirm the enhancement of the thermal safety of the APP-LDH/SA composites. This work provides a simple method to improve the thermal safety of hydrophobic SAs, which expands the thermal insulation application scenarios of SAs.

Catalytically Active SiO2 Aerogels Comprising Chelate Complexes of Palladium.

A series of silica-based aerogels comprising novel bifunctional chelating ligands was prepared. To produce target aerogels, two aminosilanes, namely (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (APTMS) and N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (AEAPTMS), were acylated by natural amino acids ((S)-(+)-2-phenylglycine or L-phenylalanine), followed by gelation and supercritical drying (SCD). Lithium tetrachloropalladate was used as the metal ion source to prepare strong complexes of Pd2+ with amino acids covalently bonded to a silica matrix. Aerogels bearing chelate complexes retain the Pd2+ oxidation state after supercritical drying in CO2, but the Pd ion is reduced to Pd metal after SCD in isopropanol. Depending on the structure of amino complexes, Pd-containing aerogels showed catalytic activity and selectivity in the hydrogenation reactions of C=C, C≡C and C=O bonds.

CO2 adsorption properties of aerogel and application prospects in low-carbon building materials: A review

The applications and researches of the aerogel in the field of building materials and building energy conservation had been widely concerned due to its excellent thermal insulation properties. However, it has not been paid attention that the potential application values for excellent CO2 adsorption properties of aerogel in building materials. The CO2 adsorption properties of aerogel and the research progress on utilizing SiO2 aerogel in building materials had been reviewed. And the application prospect of the technologies that exploit the CO2 adsorption properties of aerogel and the carbonization technology to prepare SiO2 aerogel-based low-carbon building materials was discussed. It was shown that the type, morphology, and pore structure of aerogel significantly affect the resulting carbon adsorption performance. Amino modification was an effective method for improving the carbon adsorption capacity of aerogel. The performance of aerogel-incorporated cement-based composites could be optimized by improving the performance of binder materials, modifying the aerogel, or preparing new aggregates by loading aerogel into porous materials with higher strength. In addition, it was feasible to prepare new green low-carbon building materials by using aerogel as thermal insulating aggregate and carbon adsorption material, industrial solid wastes rich in alkali metal ions as cementitious materials, and carbonation curing technology. The purpose of this review was to promote the application of CO2 adsorption properties of aerogel in building materials, and enhance the development of low-carbon (or zero-carbon, or negative-carbon) building materials. This is of great significance for reducing carbon emissions in the construction sector and promoting the "carbon neutrality" of global.

In-situ synthesis of SiO2 aerogel/polyethylene terephthalate composite slices and their fibers

Purpose Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as a fiber molding polymer is widely used in aerospace, electrical and electronic, clothing and other fields. The purpose of this study is to improve the thermal insulation performance of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the SiO2 aerogel/PET composites slices and fibers were prepared, and the effects of the SiO2 aerogel on the morphology, structure, crystallization property and thermal conductivity of the SiO2 aerogel/PET composites slices and their fibers were systematically investigated. Design/methodology/approach The mass ratio of purified terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol was selected as 1:1.5, which was premixed with Sb2O3 and the corresponding mass of SiO2 aerogel, and SiO2 aerogel/PET composites were prepared by direct esterification and in-situ polymerization. The SiO2 aerogel/PET composite fibers were prepared by melt-spinning method. Findings The results showed that the SiO2 aerogel was uniformly dispersed in the PET matrix. The thermal insulation coefficient of PET was significantly reduced by the addition of SiO2 aerogel, and the thermal conductivity of the 1.0 Wt.% SiO2 aerogel/PET composites was reduced by 75.74 mW/(m · K) compared to the pure PET. The thermal conductivity of the 0.8 Wt.% SiO2 aerogel/PET composite fiber was reduced by 46.06% compared to the pure PET fiber. The crystallinity and flame-retardant coefficient of the SiO2 aerogel/PET composite fibers showed an increasing trend with the addition of SiO2 aerogel. Research limitations/implications The SiO2 aerogel/PET composite slices and their fibers have good thermal insulation properties and exhibit good potential for application in the field of thermal insulation, such as warm clothes. In today’s society where the energy crisis is becoming increasingly serious, improving the thermal insulation performance of PET to reduce energy loss will be of great significance to alleviate the energy crisis. Originality/value In this study, SiO2 aerogel/PET composite slices and their fibers were prepared by an in situ polymerization process, which solved the problem of difficult dispersion of nanoparticles in the matrix and the thermal conductivity of PET significantly reduced.

SiO2@MXene-based fabric featuring low heat loss for high-efficiency solar-driven freshwater production

Interfacial solar-driven steam generation is a promising approach for addressing the global freshwater crisis. However, the lower evaporation rate owing to high heat-loss is still a primary obstacle to commercialization. Given the high transmittance to solar radiation and superior isolation to thermal radiation of SiO2 aerogel, herein we design a hanging SiO2@MXene-based fabric (SMF) evaporator for high-efficiency solar-driven freshwater production. Under light irradiation, the internal MXene-based fabric with high solar absorption can rapidly convert solar radiation into heat-energy, while the outermost transparent SiO2 aerogel with excellent thermal insulation performance can efficiently prevent the internal heat-quantity from escaping outward. As such, the solar-to-thermal is well confined within the MXene-based fabric, endowing SMF with low heat loss towards surroundings. An evaporation rate as high as 1.87 kg•m−2•h−1 along with heat-loss as low as 5.9% is achieved under 1-sun, superior to other prior evaporators. Better yet, neither a decrease in evaporation rate nor fouling on SMF is observed even when treating high-salinity brine. This work provides new insights into reducing heat loss to enhance evaporation rate during solar desalination.

Multifunctional and recyclable aerogel/fiber building insulation composites with sandwich structure

Fire, electromagnetic (EM) pollution, and sustainability require building insulation with fire resistance, EM interference shielding, and recyclability. However, fewer building insulation materials can fulfill these multifunctional requirements. Here, we report a multifunctional building thermal insulation material with a sandwich structure that uses SiO2 aerogel powder as the insulating filler phase, α-Al2O3 fiber as the refractory reinforcing phase, and carbon fiber mat (CFF) as the electromagnetic interference shielding layer prepared by the mixing-pressing-drying method. The effects of different SiO2 aerogel power contents on fire resistance, thermal insulation, and hydrophobicity, the effects of different carbon fiber contents on EMI performance, and the effects of CFF as an interlayer on compressive strength and recyclability were investigated. The results demonstrated exceptional fire resistance properties and low thermal conductivity (0.0529 W/m·K) with a SiO2 aerogel powder content of 11.2 wt%. Specifically, the structure of the aerogel/fiber composite remains intact and the temperature of the non-heated surface is lower than 75.8 ℃ after 4 min of continuous flame combustion. It can achieve a commercial shielding standard of 20 dB at a carbon fiber content of 5 wt%. In addition, CFF as interlayers can effectively improve the compression strength of the material and solve the problem of difficult recycling of carbon fiber. In conclusion, this sandwich structure of multifunctional aerogel/fiber composites provides new ideas for the manufacture of fire resistance, energy-saving, EM-protection, and recyclable building insulation materials.

SiO2 aerogel coating with organic montmorillonite compounded with flame retardants: A strategy for design of a multifunctional thermal barrier coating

To improve the thermal barrier properties of epoxy resin coatings, a composite waterborne aerogel multifunctional coating that possesses both mechanical properties and controllable barrier ability was prepared in this study. This coating incorporates granular silica aerogel, organic montmorillonite, and two flame retardants: aluminum hydroxide (ATH) and magnesium hydroxide (MH). The results showed that montmorillonite, modified with stearyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (STAB), exhibited antisymmetric and symmetric stretching vibrational infrared spectral absorption peaks of –CH3, –CH2, characteristic of the long-chain alkane quaternary ammonium salt. This indicated that the quaternary ammonium salt was intercalated into the montmorillonite interlayer, enhancing the surface lamellae. The coating effectively absorbed energy when stressed, resulting in a strength increase of 146.3%. Incorporating high porosity silica aerogel significantly improved the barrier behavior of the composite coating, enabling controlled thermal insulation and excellent corrosion resistance. The coating reduced heat transfer paths and effectively impeded heat transfer, maintaining a high corrosion inhibition efficiency (99.9%) in a 3.5% NaCl solution. Additionally, the individual actions of the two flame retardants led to highly effective flame retardant properties, with the total heat release rate (THR) reduced by about 43.5% and the total smoke production (TSP) by 40.1%.

Preparation of monolithic Al2O3–SiO2 aerogels with high-temperature resistance using boehmite nanorods

In this study, monolithic Al2O3–SiO2 aerogels with excellent thermal stability were synthesized by ambient pressure drying (APD) or supercritical drying (SCD) using tetraethyl orthosilicate and boehmite nanorods (L = 20–30 nm, D = 3–5 nm) as precursors. The high specific surface area of aerogels prepared by APD or SCD was maintained after calcination at 800 °C (585 m2/g or 664 m2/g), 1000 °C (415 m2/g or 487 m2/g), and 1100 °C (175 m2/g or 231 m2/g). The anti-sintering mechanism of the aerogels prepared with boehmite nanorods as the aluminum source was discussed in detail. Successful preparation by APD offers the possibility of low-cost and large-scale application of monolithic Al2O3–SiO2 aerogels. Al2O3–SiO2 aerogels with excellent thermal stability have the potential to be used as high-temperature thermal insulating materials in aerospace applications.

Reusable, high specific surface areas, and excellent thermal stability Al2O3–SiO2 aerogel composites as high-temperature thermal insulators for radome applications

In this study, monolithic Al2O3–SiO2 aerogels with excellent thermal stability and high specific surface area were synthesized using boehmite nanorods (L=20–30 nm, D=3–5 nm). The high specific surface area of aerogels was maintained after calcination at 800 °C (663.54 m2/g), 1000 °C (486.91 m2/g), and 1100 °C (230.76 m2/g). The anti-sintering mechanism of the Al2O3-SiO2 aerogels was discussed. Thanks to the composite of Al2O3-SiO2 aerogel and mullite fibers, the disadvantages of brittleness and low strength of aerogel are overcome. The thermal conductivity of the composite is extremely low at 0.034 W/(m·K)-0.089 W/(m·K) (25 °C-1000 °C). Five muffle cycle back-temperature tests at 1000 °C and a butane blowtorch back-temperature test at 1350 °C also proved that the composites have excellent thermal insulation properties. Composites with excellent thermal insulation properties combined with lightweight, thinness, machinability, and good dielectric properties meet the need for high-temperature thermal insulating-wave transmitting integrated materials for hypersonic missile radomes.

Fabrication of elastic SiO2 aerogels with prominent mechanical strength and stability reinforced by SiO2 nanofibers and polyurethane for oil adsorption

The separation of oil from wastewater and materials for oil absorption are highly demanded in the modern industrialization. For these purposes, silica aerogels with high hydrophobicity and surface aera and low density are promising candidates for oil absorption, but limited by the poor mechanical strength and structure stability during the usage. In this study, we presented a novel compressive silica aerogel by silica nanofiber (SNF) reinforcement and subsequent hydrophobic polyurethane strengthening via moisture curing (PSAG). The obtained PSAG exhibits unique core/shell fibrous reinforcement and prominent crosslinked network structure. The porous PSAG has a porosity of 81.06 % and density of 0.43 g cm−3 at solid content of 20 %. The hydrophobic PSAG shows an impressive sorption capacity towards CH2Cl2 (11.2 g g−1), THF (5.5 g g−1) and acetone (3.8 g g−1), being able to separate 100 % of oils from an immiscible oil–water mixture. The PSAG shows exceptional resistance to acidic and alkaline conditions and has high flexibility and desirable reusability in repeatedly oil adsorption. Most importantly, the mechanical strength of SAG can be improved to 0.27 MPa of PSAG at prepolymer solid content of 20 %, and no cracking or deformation were observed after 50 cycles. Additionally, the PSAG shows impressive thermal insulation and flame retardancy performance in the air, which should have potential application as insulator for the solar evaporation for the purification of wastewater. This work provides new understanding and insight for further design and optimization of polyurethane-based reinforced aerogels.

La doped silica aerogel as selective adsorbent for the desulfurization of model fuel

La doped silica aerogel composites (La2O3/SiO2-n) with different Si/La molar ratio were synthesized through sol-gel method and atmospheric drying technology, which were used to adsorb thiophenic compounds from model fuels. Compared with the pure SiO2 aerogel, the adsorption capacities of La2O3/SiO2-n obviously increased, owing to adding La species led to the appearance of the weak Lewis acid sites on the surface. The adsorption mechanism of La2O3/SiO2-n for thiophenics included the direct S-La bond and weak π-La acid-base interaction between La3+ and thiophenics, and the former was primary. Among La2O3/SiO2-n, the La2O3/SiO2-200 not only had the highest adsorption capacity for thiophene, up to 8.16 mg S/gads (i.e., 138.31 mg-S/mmol La), but also exhibited an excellent anti-aromatics competitive adsorption ability and a good regeneration performance. The adsorption kinetic and adsorption isotherms were well described by pseudo-second-order (PSO) and Langmuir models, respectively, indicating the adsorption of La2O3/SiO2-200 for TH was dominated by chemisorption, which was a spontaneous and endothermic process. The present of aromatics in model fuels had a slightly negative effect on the adsorption of La2O3/SiO2 for thiophene.

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.

Layered ZrO2/SiO2 aerogel composite fibrous flexibility membrane for thermal insulation and sound absorption

AbstractAs promising candidates for widespread application, advanced ceramic fiber mats with robust mechanical properties are urgently needed. However, the brittleness, fatigue failure, and large density of ceramic fiber pose significant obstacles to its practical application. Herein, a novel SiO2 aerogel/ZrO2 composite nanofibrous membrane (SZCNFM) with excellent flexibility was prepared by introducing SiO2 aerogel nanoparticles into ZrO2 nanofiber via simple co‐electrospinning. The developed tetragonal zirconia phase without changing up to 1200°C endows SZCNFM material with excellent thermal stability. Furthermore, the as‐prepared membranes exhibit fatigue resistance ability which can maintain 98% of the original stress after 100 buckling cycle tests. The addition of mesoporous structure aerogel reduces the heat transfer of the nanofibrous membrane, giving its low thermal conductivity (30 mW/m/K) and low‐frequency sound absorption (noise reduction coefficient of 0.52). Combined with the high‐temperature resistance, low thermal conductivity and excellent sound‐absorption ability make it a promising material for heat insulation and acoustic absorption.

Investigation of compound state of SiO2-TiO2 aerogel synthesized through controlled sol-gel reaction

In this work, a compound state of silica-titania aerogel was investigated through sol-gel reaction for hybridization of silica and titania with increasing reactivity by using high surface area and charge imbalances. By minimizing the sol-gel reaction rate difference and preparing a homogeneous and stable sol, a compound state of silica-titania aerogel could be obtained, without separation onto single metal oxide aerogel. The benefits of using the sol-gel synthesis method for synthesizing silica-titania compound aerogels are over a limit of substitution solubility and get binary metal oxide compound material. Diffraction and spectroscopic analyses showed that the heterogeneous linkage resulted from interaction among silicon, titanium, and oxygen ions. The coordination environment changes by the formation of an Si-O-Ti linkage following interaction among ions without phase separation on SiO2 and TiO2 aerogels. Thus, the atomically controlled sol-gel reaction can be used to design new metal-oxide-based compound aerogels and immiscible oxide materials.

Fabrication of thermal insulation sodium alginate/SiO2 composite aerogel with superior radiative cooling function for firefighting clothing

Purpose This study aims to evaluate the thermal performance of sodium alginate (SA) aerogel attached to nano SiO2 and its radiative cooling effect on firefighting clothing without environmental pollution. Design/methodology/approach SA/SiO2 aerogel with refractory heat insulation and enhanced radiative cooling performance was fabricated by freeze-drying method, which can be used in firefighting clothing. The microstructure, chemical composition, thermal stability, and thermal emissivity were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analyzer and infrared emissivity measurement instrument. The radiative cooling effect of aerogel was studied using thermal infrared imager and thermocouple. Findings When the addition of SiO2 is 25% of SA, the prepared aerogel has excellent heat insulation and a high radiative cooling effect. Under a clear sky, the temperature of SA/SiO2 aerogel is 9.4°C lower than that of pure SA aerogel and 22.1°C lower than that of the simulated environment. In addition, aerogel has more exceptional heat insulation effect than other common fabrics in the heat insulation performance test. Research limitations/implications SA/SiO2 aerogel has passive radiative cooling function, which can efficaciously economize global energy, and it is paramount to environment-friendly cooling. Practical implications This method could pave the way for high-performance cooling materials designed for firefighting clothing to keep maintain the wearing comfort of firefighters. Originality/value SA/SiO2 aerogel used in firefighting clothing can release heat to the low-temperature outer space in the form of thermal radiation to achieve its own cooling purpose, without additional energy supply. Graphical abstract

Preparation and performance study of SiO2 aerogel thermal insulation coating with nanoporous structure for wind turbine blade surface

To prepare a base layer of thermal insulation for the surface of wind turbine blades, we utilized SiO2 aerogel material with a nanoporous structure as the thermal insulation layer of an inorganic composite photothermal de-icing coating. We further investigated the influence of raw material ratio and process on the thermal insulation layer’s performance. By adjusting the process parameters, the microstructure and characteristics of the SiO2 aerogel thermal insulation coating were controlled. Microstructure scanning and EDS analysis were employed to assess the results. The results of the experiment suggest that, as opposed to brush coating, atomized spraying is a better technique for creating SiO2 aerogel thermal insulation coating. The coating possesses excellent mechanical stability and applicability, maintaining a coating wear rate within 5% after 20 wear cycles under a load of 1734 N/m2, and the coating achieves the highest class 0 surface adhesion to the substrate surface. The coating exhibits exceptional heat insulation performance, reaching a temperature of 32.7 °C after five spraying cycles, which is 20.0 ∼ 29.4 °C higher than the surface without producing a complete heat insulation layer. The SiO2 aerogel aqueous slurry has a viscosity of 31.3 ∼ 36.9 mPa∙s, which is capable of forming a uniform membrane surface when sprayed at a 60° angle at 0.95 MPa pressure. Consequently, this paper’s design of photothermal thermal insulation offers strong anti-abrasion and excellent thermal insulation, presenting a new avenue for scientific investigation into coating photothermal de-icing.

Cellulose/silica composite microtubular superfoam with excellent flame retardancy, thermal insulation and ablative resistance.

Thermal insulation materials with good flame-retardant properties have attracted widespread attention because of their huge application potential. Traditional petrochemical-based polymer insulation materials are flammable and have problems with environmental pollution. The microtubule structure is a perfect microstructure with excellent thermal insulation performance. In addition, the microtubule structure also has low density and high elasticity. Therefore, the microtubule structure is an important reference microstructure for the development of efficient thermal insulation materials. In this paper, a cellulose/SiO2 composite microtube thermal insulation superfoam has been successfully prepared. Cellulose microtubules were successfully prepared from poplar sawdust by chemical methods. The SiO2 aerogel precursor solution can be quickly adsorbed by the delignified cellulose microtubes. The SiO2 aerogel shells are evenly distributed only on the inner and outer walls of the delignified cellulose microtubes. The cellulose/SiO2 microtube composite (CSMC) superfoam exhibits low density, good mechanical properties, and low thermal conductivity (as low as 0.042 ± 0.0018 W m-1 K-1). The CSMC superfoam exhibits excellent self-extinguishing and flame-retardant properties. After being burned by a butane flame, the superfoam still has certain mechanical properties. The thermal conductivity of the B-CSMC superfoam (the CSMC superfoam burned by a butane flame) is about 0.050 W m-1 K-1. The B-CSMC superfoam remained almost unchanged after being continuously ablated by a butane flame for 3600 seconds.

Harnessing the power of silica aerogels for applications in energy and water sustainability

SiO2 aerogel, characterized by its lightweight, highly porous, and thermally insulating properties, has emerged as a versatile material capable of addressing the challenges of providing sustainable energy and clean water.