ACS Nano,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
18(14), P. 9798 - 9822
Published: March 29, 2024
Extreme
climates
have
become
frequent
nowadays,
causing
increased
heat
stress
in
human
daily
life.
Personal
thermal
management
(PTM),
a
technology
that
controls
the
body's
microenvironment,
has
promising
strategy
to
address
stress.
While
effective
ordinary
environments,
traditional
high-performance
fibers,
such
as
ultrafine,
porous,
highly
thermally
conductive,
and
phase
change
materials,
fall
short
when
dealing
with
harsh
conditions
or
large
temperature
fluctuations.
Aerogels,
third-generation
superinsulation
material,
garnered
extensive
attention
among
researchers
for
their
applications
building
energy
conservation,
transportation,
aerospace,
attributed
extremely
low
densities
conductivity.
aerogels
historically
faced
challenges
related
weak
mechanical
strength
limited
secondary
processing
capacity,
recent
advancements
witnessed
notable
progress
development
of
wearable
PTM.
This
underscores
potential
within
serving
self-powered
smart
devices
sensors.
Review
offers
timely
overview
PTM
particular
focus
on
wearability
suitability.
Finally,
discussion
classifies
five
types
based
aerogel
function:
insulation,
heating,
cooling,
adaptive
regulation
(involving
cooling),
utilization
devices.
Advanced Materials,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
unknown
Published: Nov. 19, 2024
The
ambition
of
human
beings
to
create
a
comfortable
environment
for
work
and
life
in
sustainable
way
has
triggered
great
need
advanced
thermal
insulation
materials
past
decades.
Aerogels
foams
present
prospects
as
insulators
owing
their
low
density,
good
insulation,
mechanical
robustness,
even
high
fire
resistance.
These
merits
make
them
suitable
many
real-world
applications,
such
energy-saving
building
materials,
thermally
protective
aircrafts
battery,
warming
fabrics.
Despite
advances,
date
there
remains
lack
comprehensive
yet
critical
review
on
the
materials.
Herein,
recent
progresses
fire-safe
thermal-insulating
aerogels
are
summarized,
pros/cons
three
major
categories
aerogels/foams
(inorganic,
organic
hybrids)
discussed.
Finally,
key
challenges
associated
with
existing
discussed
some
future
opportunities
proposed.
This
is
expected
expedite
development
insulating
help
sustainable,
safe,
energy-efficient
society.
Advanced Functional Materials,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
unknown
Published: Aug. 22, 2024
Abstract
Aerogel
fibers,
known
for
their
lightweight
and
exceptional
thermal
insulation
properties,
provide
an
ideal
material
solution
fabricating
triboelectric
nanogenerators
(TENGs)
self‐powered
wearable
electronics
in
extreme
environments,
such
as
firefighting
gear.
However,
current
aerogel
fibers
face
limitations
due
to
poor
mechanical
properties
lack
of
performance
stability
under
harsh
conditions.
Herein,
a
facile
strategy
preparing
silica/aramid
nanofiber
(ANF)
composite
with
interpenetrated
dual
networks
silica‐dominant
component
(≈64
wt.%)
is
demonstrated;
the
unique
structure
composition
endow
high
tensile
strength
(3.4
MPa),
low
conductivity
(0.033
W
(m·K)
−1
),
large
specific
surface
area
(587
m
2
g
outstanding
fire
resistance
at
95%
porosity,
combining
best
both
ANF
silica
aerogel.
Moreover,
exhibit
excellent
flexibility
extremely
temperatures
(−196
°C)
maintain
structural
integrity
even
when
exposed
flame
up
5
min.
Leveraging
these
fiber‐based
TENGs
show
electrical
output
before
after
combustion
(>94%
retention).
The
fabrication
offers
promising
opportunities
modulating
functionalities
on
demand,
holding
great
potential
future
applications
smart
protective
fabrics
environments.
Nano-Micro Letters,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
17(1)
Published: April 14, 2025
Abstract
Enhancing
the
firefighting
protective
clothing
with
exceptional
thermal
barrier
and
temperature
sensing
functions
to
ensure
high
fire
safety
for
firefighters
has
long
been
anticipated,
but
it
remains
a
major
challenge.
Herein,
inspired
by
human
muscle,
an
anisotropic
aerogel
(ACMCA)
precise
self-actuated
monitoring
performance
is
developed
combining
aramid
nanofibers
eicosane/MXene
form
anisotropically
oriented
conductive
network.
By
two
synergies
of
negative
temperature-dependent
eicosane,
which
induces
high-temperature
differential,
directionally
ordered
MXene
that
establishes
network
along
directional
freezing
direction.
The
resultant
ACMCA
exhibited
remarkable
thermoelectric
properties,
S
values
reaching
46.78
μV
K
−1
κ
as
low
0.048
W
m
at
room
temperature.
Moreover,
prepared
electrical
responsiveness
variations,
facilitating
its
application
in
intelligent
systems.
designed
could
be
incorporated
into
layer,
demonstrating
wide
range
(50–400
°C)
rapid
response
time
early
alerts
(~
1.43
s).
This
work
provides
novel
insights
design
temperature-sensitive
clothing.
Advanced Functional Materials,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
unknown
Published: July 25, 2024
Abstract
Extreme
cold
events
are
becoming
more
frequent
and
intense
around
the
world,
imposing
a
huge
burden
on
human
health
global
economy.
However,
developing
fibrous
materials
featuring
ultralight
weight,
high
shape
retention,
thermal
insulation
to
withstand
extreme
conditions
remains
great
challenge.
Herein,
inspired
by
natural
porous
loofah,
an
superelastic
micro/nanofibrous
aerogel
(MNFA)
that
integrates
hierarchical
pores
stable
physical
entanglements
is
directly
synthesized
via
gelation
electrospinning
technology.
By
manipulating
solution/water
molecules
interaction
of
charged
jets,
structure
consisting
networks
microfibers
developed,
which
endows
MNFA
with
porosity
(99.7%).
Benefiting
from
entanglement
between
rigid
flexible
nanofibers,
resulting
can
large
tensile
stress
(4000
times
its
weight)
1000
compression
cycles
without
being
damaged.
Moreover,
exhibits
feature
(3
mg
cm
−3
)
performance
(low
conductivity
25.3
mW
m
−1
K
),
making
promising
contender
for
highly
efficient
insulation.
This
work
offer
fresh
perspectives
design
advancement
advanced
aerogels
variety
uses.
Small,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
unknown
Published: Oct. 30, 2024
Abstract
Owing
to
their
high
sensitivity
across
a
wide
stress
range,
mechanical
reliability,
and
rapid
response
time,
flexible
polymer
foam
piezoresistive
sensors
have
been
extensively
used
in
various
fields.
The
reliable
application
of
these
under
harsh
environments,
however,
is
severely
limited
by
structural
devastation
poor
interfacial
bonding
between
polymers
conductive
nanoparticles.
To
address
the
above
issues,
robust
MXene/CNT
nanocoatings
on
surface,
where
chemical
assembly
MXene
nanosheets
physical
anchoring
CNTs
lead
strong
bonding,
are
designed
described,
which
endows
foams
with
reliability
unexpected
multi‐functionalities
without
compromising
instinct
properties.
optimized
nanocomposites
thus
maintain
outstanding
wide‐temperature
flexibility
(−60–210
°C)
elasticity
(≈3%
residual
strain
after
1000
cycles).
Moreover,
display
good
at
relatively
range
0–70%
remarkable
stability
acidic
alkaline
settings.
Furthermore,
exceptional
fire
resistance
(UL‐94
V‐0
rating)
can
provide
stable
sensing
behavior
(over
300
cycles)
even
being
exposed
flames
for
5
s,
making
them
one
most
materials
so
far.
Clearly,
this
work
widens
applications
based
silicone
environments.
Advanced Functional Materials,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
unknown
Published: Oct. 31, 2024
Abstract
Owing
to
their
preeminent
properties,
including
mechanical
flexibility,
thermal
insulation,
and
low
cost,
silicone
foams
are
widely
used
in
industrial
fields.
However,
flame‐induced
structural
failure
greatly
restricts
practical
applications.
It
is
challenging
for
flexible
realize
reliable
protection
thermo–mechanical–oxidative
environments.
Inspired
by
traditional
pottery,
a
multiscale‐filler
synergistic
ceramifiable
strategy
creating
foam
nanocomposites
with
flexibility
long‐term
fireproofing
proposed
herein.
The
materials
not
only
maintain
elasticity
(≈2%
residual
strain
after
1000
cycles)
at
temperature
range
of
−60–210
°C
but
also
exhibit
exceptional
(>30
min)
insulation
upon
exposure
≈1300
oxidative
environments
because
ability
form
gradient
robust
porous
ceramic
structure.
Moreover,
the
material
can
provide
stable
electric
cables
lithium‐ion
battery
packs,
making
it
one
most
so
far.
This
work
broadens
applications
emerging
fields
where
buffering
required.
