A multifunctional biomimetic integrated core-shell aerogel fiber membrane for thermal management in extreme environments

As firefighting and rescue missions grow increasingly complex and hazardous, the demands on firefighting textiles in terms of personal protection, structural durability, and wear comfort have become more stringent. Inspired by the thermal insulation mechanism of polar bear fur, we propose an aerogel-encapsulation strategy that enables the design and fabrication of an aerogel fiber with a unique core-shell heterogeneous architecture (PSZAF). Based on this biomimetic framework, the coaxially electrospun aerogel fibers exhibit a rare combination of high toughness, large tensile deformability, a low thermal conductivity (0.039 W m^-1 K^-1 at room temperature) and can withstand a high-temperature environment of 600 °C. Furthermore, synergistic interactions among the different constituents endow PSZAF with multiple additional functionalities, including pronounced radiative cooling, outstanding thermal shielding under direct solar exposure (89.31% heat-shielding efficiency), high hydrophobicity (water contact angle of 130.4°), and robust corrosion resistance. Collectively, this work establishes an innovative and practical strategy for constructing thermally insulating, mechanically resilient, and multifunctional aerogel fibers for firefighting garments, while also pointing to new directions for protective textiles used in everyday scenarios and extreme environments.