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Published on: April 16, 2017
Transformative Powder Fibration toward Hierarchical Ceramic Aerogels for Multifunctional Aerospace Systems
Yingying Li1, Lu Chen2, Lingling Zhu1
1Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Green and Low-Carbon Utilization Technology of Agricultural and Forestry Biomass, College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China.
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Extreme aerospace environments demand ultralight materials capable of simultaneously withstanding rapid thermal fluctuations, intense mechanical shocks, and strong electromagnetic radiation. However, integrating thermal stability, mechanical resilience, and multifunctionality within a single ceramic aerogel remains challenging due to the intrinsic brittleness and structural instability of conventional systems. Here, we report a scalable powder-to-fiber transformation strategy to construct hierarchical ceramic aerogels reinforced with cellulose-derived topological microscrolls. This process converts particle-based networks into entangled fibrous frameworks, enabling cooperative deformation and structural robustness. As a result, the aerogels exhibit near-temperature-invariant superelasticity (up to 95% strain recovery), negative thermal expansion, and ultralow thermal conductivity (3.6 mW m- 1 K- 1 in vacuum). They maintain structural integrity under extreme conditions, including direct flame exposure and rapid thermal cycling from -196°C to 1300°C, while delivering high electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (above 56 dB across 8.2-40 GHz). These integrated properties establish a robust strategy for designing multifunctional ceramic aerogels for aerospace structures, thermal protection, and other extreme-environment applications.

