High-Strength, Highly Conductive, Thermally Insulating CNT-Reinforced PBO-Based Aerogel Fibers for Intelligent...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Aerogel fibers offer excellent thermal insulation due to low density and high porosity.
• Existing aerogel fibers lack mechanical robustness and multi-stimuli responsiveness.
• There's a need for advanced aerogel fibers that balance insulation with mechanical and electrical properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer carbon nanotube (CNT)-reinforced poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO) composite aerogel fibers (E-PBO/CNT) with improved performance.
• To overcome the trade-offs between strength, thermal insulation, and electrical conductivity in aerogel fibers.
• To create versatile aerogel fibers suitable for harsh environments and sensing applications.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a dry-jet wet spinning process incorporating electric field and shear flow.
• Fabricated composite aerogel fibers by integrating CNTs into a PBO matrix.
• Characterized the thermal, mechanical, electrical, and stability properties of the resulting fibers.

Main Results:

• Achieved low thermal conductivity (0.039 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹) and high porosity (89%).
• Demonstrated high tensile strength (42.98 MPa) and electrical conductivity (35.24 S cm⁻¹).
• Exhibited excellent thermal stability (up to 650 °C), flame retardancy (LOI 41%), and chemical resistance.

Conclusions:

• The developed E-PBO/CNT aerogel fibers successfully resolve traditional performance trade-offs.
• These fibers are suitable for harsh environments (-196 to 300 °C) due to their textile-like processability and stability.
• The fibers possess self-powered temperature-sensing capabilities, opening new avenues for smart textiles and sensors.