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Poly (m-phenylene isophthalamide)/graphene composite aerogels with enhanced compressive shape stability for thermal insulation

  • Original Paper: Nano- and macroporous materials (aerogels, xerogels, cryogels, etc.)
  • Published:
Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

To develop graphene-based composite aerogels with improved compressive shape stability that suitable for high-temperature applications, poly (m-phenylene isophthalamide, PMIA) with excellent heat resistance and flame retardancy was used as the supporting material. The effects of PMIA content on aerogel morphology, structure, mechanical and thermal properties were discussed. Unlike other polymers, PMIA in the composite aerogels appeared as separate or stacked particles instead of interconnected framework or uniform coatings. Higher PMIA content tended to result in denser aerogels with smaller pores and thinner graphene sheet walls. The densified structure with plenty of PMIA particles incorporated was found to make the aerogel more rigid and less flexible. Their compressive strength therefore was greatly enhanced. Besides, it was also observed that the thermal conductivity of the prepared aerogels increased with the increase of PMIA content. Nevertheless, their thermal conductivity was still <0.045 W m−1 K−1, indicative of considerable thermal insulation ability. Given that, the prepared composite aerogels with enhanced compressive shape stability may have a broad application prospect in thermal insulation.

Highlights

  • PMIA-reinforced graphene aerogels (PGAs) are successfully prepared by a premixing method.

  • The resulted PGAs have smaller pores and thinner graphene walls with numerous PMIA particles incorporated.

  • PGAs can support >2000 times its own weight, indicative of enhanced compressive strength.

  • PGAs are good at thermal insulation with thermal conductivity values <0.045 W m−1 K−1.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51904312), Shandong “Taishan Youth Scholar Program” and Scientific Research Foundation of Civil Aviation University of China (2020KYQD115). The authors are deeply grateful to these supports.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Civil Aviation Thermal Hazards Prevention and Emergency Response, Civil Aviation University of China, Tianjin, 300300, PR China

    Weiwang Chen, Sha Liu, Yutong Dong & Xiaomeng Zhou

  2. Centre for Medical Image Computing, Department of Computer Science, University College London, London, WC1V 6LJ, UK

    Fenglei Zhou

  3. College of Textiles and Clothing, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, PR China

    Fenglei Zhou

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  1. Weiwang Chen
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  2. Sha Liu
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  4. Xiaomeng Zhou
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Correspondence to Xiaomeng Zhou.

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Chen, W., Liu, S., Dong, Y. et al. Poly (m-phenylene isophthalamide)/graphene composite aerogels with enhanced compressive shape stability for thermal insulation. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 96, 370–381 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-020-05396-8

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