Superstrong Lightweight Aerogel with Supercontinuous Layer by Surface Reaction

• DOI: 10.1002/adma.202418083
• Publication Date: 2025-01-28T09:11:48Z
• Authors: Tianpei Zhou; Linbo He; Yu Zhen; Xiaolin Tai; Shun Dai; Kaijin Wu; Honghe Ding; Tianpu Xia; Xun Zhang; Xueru Cai; Fangzhou Jiang; Zhiqiang Zhu; Fangsheng Huang; Chen Li; Yaping Li; Junfa Zhu; Wangsheng Chu; Yue Lin; Yong Ni; Yi Xie; Changzheng Wu
• Keywords: Thermal Stability; Interfacial thermal resistance

Abstract Breaking the thermal, mechanical and lightweight performance limit of aerogels has pivotal significance on thermal protection, new energy utilization, high‐temperature catalysis, structural engineering, physics, but is severely limited by serious discrete characteristics between grain boundary nano‐units interfaces. Herein, a thermodynamically driven surface reaction confined crystallization process reported to synthesize centimeter‐scale supercontinuous ZrO 2 nanolayer ‐SiO fiber aerogel surface, which significantly improved its properties with density almost unchanged (≈26 mg cm −3 ). Systematic structure analysis confirms that layer achieves close connection grains fibers through Zr─O─Si bonds. The as‐prepared exhibits record‐breaking specific strength (≈84615 N m kg −1 , can support up ≈227 272 times mass) dynamic impact resistance (withstanding impacts 500 mass 200 cycling stability at 80% strain). Besides, temperature also been greatly optimized (400 °C enhancement, 1500 °C). This work will provide perspective for exploring limits lightweight, high strength, solid materials.