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Programmable Multi-Axially Aligned Aerogels via Sequential Freeze-Casting for Tailored Anisotropy and Tunable
Kiho Sung1, Sungchul Shin1,2
1Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Bioresources, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
|June 23, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed a new technique called Sequential Hybridization by Infiltration and Freeze-casting (SHIFT) to create advanced aerogels. This method enables the programmable construction of multi-axial aerogel architectures with tunable mechanical and transport properties.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biomimetics
- Porous Materials Engineering
Background:
- Biological materials exhibit superior mechanical properties due to hierarchical, multi-axial alignment.
- Synthetic porous materials struggle to replicate this complexity, with conventional freeze-casting limited to unidirectional structures and poor transverse stability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce the Sequential Hybridization by Infiltration and Freeze-casting Technique (SHIFT) for programmable multi-axial aerogel construction.
- To enable precise control over alignment angles and spatial density in synthetic porous materials.
- To engineer aerogels with enhanced mechanical resilience and transport properties.
Main Methods:
- SHIFT temporally separates scaffold and architecture formation for controlled multi-axial alignment.
- Utilizes primary scaffold as a template for secondary freeze-casting of infiltrated precursors.
- Integrates radial and vertical freezing strategies for multidirectional mass transport.
Main Results:
- Achieved programmable secondary alignment angles from 0° to 90° and controlled spatial density.
- Orthogonal alignment (2.87 anisotropy ratio) closely mimics natural cuttlebone's mechanical isotropy.
- Oblique alignments (30°-60°) enhance cyclic recovery and multidirectional mass transport.
Conclusions:
- SHIFT offers a versatile platform for engineering porous materials beyond single-direction freezing constraints.
- Enables the creation of aerogels with tailored mechanical anisotropy and transport characteristics.
- Opens new avenues for biomimetic material design with tunable properties.
