Ultrahigh-strength carbon aerogels for high temperature thermal insulation

Carbon aerogels with nanoporous structure are attractive for thermal insulation under extreme conditions, but their practical applications are usually plagued by the inherent brittleness and easy-oxidation characteristic at high temperature. Herein, silica-modified carbon aerogels (SCAs) with extraordinarily high strength are prepared via a facile sol-gel polymerization of phenolic resin and siloxane, followed by ambient pressure drying and carbonization. The resulting SCAs possess medium-high density of = 0.5 g & xe003;cm3 and mesoporous structure with the mean pore size of 33 nm. During carbonization process, the siloxane could be gradually transformed into the amorphous SiO2 particles and crystalline SiC particles, which are coated on the surface of carbon nanoparticle and consequently improve the oxidation-resistance of carbon aerogels. Due to the density-porosity trade-off, the SCAs have high compressive strength of 10.0 MPa and satisfied thermal conductivities of 0.118 W & xe003;m1 & xe003;K1 at 25 degrees C and 0.263 W & xe003;m1 & xe003;K1 at 1000 degrees C. Furthermore, needled carbon fiber-reinforced SCAs (CF-SCAs) with ultrahigh compressive strength of 210.5 MPa are prepared, which exhibit good thermal conductivities of 0.207 W & xe003;m1 & xe003;K1 at 25 degrees C and 0.407 W & xe003;m1 & xe003;K1 at 1000 degrees C. The ultrahigh mechanical strength, good oxidation-resistance, good thermal insulation as well as the facile preparation make the SACs great promising in high-temperature insulations especially under harsh conditions. 0, 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Silica-modified carbon aerogels (SCAs) with high strength and good thermal properties were prepared using a facile method. The SCAs possess a mesoporous structure and exhibit high compressive strength and thermal conductivity, making them promising for high-temperature insulation under harsh conditions.