Armoring Boron Nitride with Pyrolytic Carbon Layers for Tunable Rigidity and Flexibility
Meng Lan1, Yu Pei1, Kexin Huang1
1Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Fiber Reinforced Light Composite Materials, Science and Technology on Thermostructural Composite Materials Laboratory, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, P. R. China.
Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
|June 23, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed mechanically tunable ceramic aerogels by coating nanoparticles with pyrolytic carbon (PyC). This PyC armor enhances mechanical properties and adds flame retardancy, enabling new applications for aerogels in extreme environments.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Ceramic Engineering
Background:
- Ceramic aerogels offer excellent properties for extreme environments but suffer from mechanical brittleness.
- Developing robust and adaptable materials is crucial for advanced applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer mechanically tunable ceramic aerogels by incorporating pyrolytic carbon (PyC) coatings.
- To enhance the mechanical properties and introduce multifunctionality to ceramic aerogels.
Main Methods:
- Coating ceramic nanounits with pyrolytic carbon (PyC) layers of varying thicknesses.
- Characterizing the mechanical, thermal, and flame-retardant properties of the modified aerogels.
Main Results:
- The PyC armor allowed customization of mechanical properties, ranging from superelasticity to rigidity.
- BN@PyC aerogels exhibited enhanced flame retardancy, elastic response conductivity, and thermal conductivity.
- The aerogels maintained mechanical integrity after high-temperature treatment and showed resistance to ablation.
Conclusions:
- The PyC armoring strategy successfully addresses the brittleness of ceramic aerogels.
- BN@PyC aerogels demonstrate significant potential for scalable applications in extreme environments.
- This approach offers a novel method for customizing multifunctional aerogels.
