"Soft-hard" synergistic hybrid strategy to build a dual-purpose functional fiber composite for military and civilian use

In recent years, the research team of Professor Cheng Yanhua and Zhu Meifang of Donghua University has used functional nanomaterials or aggregation-induced luminescence (AIE) organic molecules as building blocks to induce heterogeneous assembly with polymer networks through physical or chemical bonds. Orientation, based on the complex structure of the micro-structure bionic construction, through the "molecular design - micro-structure - macro performance" multi-level full chain design, the development of material microscopic three-dimensional structure design and control of new methods, to obtain a new generation of functional fiber composites and intelligent flexible fibers Device.

Recently, the team has made new research progress in the field of functional and intelligent fiber materials. They focus on the development of new strategic materials in the country, with light, flexible and highly adiabatic materials as research targets, introducing soft and tough organic nanofibers into a hard and brittle inorganic silicon network through cross-scale (molecular-nano-micron) Structural design, obtaining a fiber composite aerogel material with high flexibility and high heat insulation.

The multi-scale "soft-hard" synergistic hybridization strategy is as follows: on the molecular scale, the silicon source with low crosslink density increases the toughness of the silicon network; on the nanometer scale, the strong bonding ability between the cellulose nanofiber and the silicon network interface is ensured. The mechanical integrity of the material; on the micrometer scale, the high porosity and flexibility of the composite are achieved by a fiber bridge bonded composite network structure. The fiber composite aerogel designed by this strategy has broad application prospects in the fields of national defense, aerospace, energy management, and civil warming.

Preparation process and multi-stage morphology of silicon-cellulose composite aerogel

The nanofiber-silicon composite aerogel has a very low thermal conductivity (15.3 mW·m?1·K?1), a porosity of 93.6%, and a specific surface area of ​​660 m2·g?1, which can be supported higher than It is a weight of 4 orders of magnitude and can be bent, curled, folded, etc., and can be cut at will.

Tensile stability and high flexibility of "soft-hard hybrid" fiber composite aerogel (BC-Si)

Based on the excellent thermal insulation properties of the flexible composite aerogel, an efficient thermal management device with an "electrical-adiabatic" integrated dual mode is further prepared, which can greatly improve the energy utilization efficiency. Based on the excellent hydrophobicity and high porosity of fiber composite aerogels, this material can also be used in key areas such as environmental pollutant treatment.

High thermal insulation performance of "soft-hard hybrid" fiber composite aerogel

Related work was published in Advanced Functional Materials under the title "Stiff-Soft" Binary Synergistic Aerogels with Superflexibility and High Thermal Insulation Performance. Link to the paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adfm.201806407