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Nanomaterials
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Nanomaterials in Aerogel Composites
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Nanomaterials in Aerogel Composites

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Synthesis, Interfaces and Nanostructures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 June 2024) | Viewed by 11638

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ai Du

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
School of Physics Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Interests: aerogel-related nanoporous materials; interaction between aerogels and other matter; superblack materials; bio-inspired materials; sonic materials with ultralow sound speed
Prof. Dr. Bin Zhou

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
School of Physics Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Interests: preparation, microfabrication, and engineering application of aerogels
Dr. Jialu Lu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Physics Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Interests: preparation of aerogels and the application of superblack materials
Dr. Lidija Şiller

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
Interests: nanoscale science and nanotechnology; CO2 capture and storage; aerogel materials; thermoelectrics; supercapacitors; nanotoxicology physics and chemistry at solid surfaces; optical, electronic and structural properties of nanoscale materials; electron and photon stimulated desorption in ices

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As a functional highly porous nanomaterial, aerogels exhibit a suitable appearance, delicate hierarchical structure, and unique properties. It is amazing that these marvelous materials possess ultralow thermal conductivity, ultralow dielectric constant (or even negative permittivity and permeability), ultralow refractive index (or ultralow reflectance), ultralow sound speed, low diffusion coefficient, and many other characteristics, only derived from a slender and fragile microstructure with ultralow solid proportion.

In this Special Issue, we plan to focus on the topic of nanoporous aerogel composites, which combine the properties of different components to address the shortcomings of aerogels (such as brittleness) and develop applications in special fields. In addition, it is worth noting that some fundamental issues have not been well resolved so far, including the interactions between aerogels and other matter, synergistic effect among different components, long-term evaluation, and so on. Thus, we warmly welcome contributions relevant to the fundamental mechanism, unique preparation method, efficient posttreatment method, significant property, advanced functional application, and long-term estimation of aerogel-related composites. We hope this issue will provide an open and interdisciplinary platform for researchers from aerogel science and engineering.

Dr. Ai Du
Prof. Dr. Bin Zhou
Dr. Jialu Lu
Dr. Lidija Şiller
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • aerogels
  • nanoporous
  • composites
  • interaction
  • properties
  • hierarchical structure
  • subwavelength structure
  • advanced application

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 6275 KiB  
Article
Effect of Titanium Dioxide Particles on the Thermal Stability of Silica Aerogels
by Caide Fan, Jialu Lu, Chengjie Duan, Chengbin Wu, Jiming Lin, Ruoxiang Qiu, Zehui Zhang, Jianming Yang, Bin Zhou and Ai Du
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(15), 1304; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14151304 - 2 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1258
Abstract
Silica aerogels exhibit a unique nanostructure with low thermal conductivity and low density, making them attractive materials for thermal isolation under extreme conditions. The TiO2 particle is one of the common industrial additives used to reduce the thermal radiation of aerogel composites [...] Read more.
Silica aerogels exhibit a unique nanostructure with low thermal conductivity and low density, making them attractive materials for thermal isolation under extreme conditions. The TiO2 particle is one of the common industrial additives used to reduce the thermal radiation of aerogel composites under high-temperature environments, but its influence on thermal resistance is almost unknown. Herein, we report the effect of TiO2 nanoparticles with different crystal phases and different sizes on the thermal stability of silica aerogel composites. By adding TiO2 nanoparticles, the aerogel can significantly resist collapse at high temperatures (up to 1000 °C). And compared with the rutile phase TiO2, the anatase phase TiO2 shows much higher temperature resistance performance, with shrinkage of only one-sixth of the rutile phase after 800 °C treatment. Interestingly, energy-dispersive spectrometer mapping results show that after 800 °C treatment, silica nanoparticles (NPs) are squeezed out in between anatase TiO2 particles, which resists the coarsening of silica NPs and ultimately enhances the stability of aerogel composites. The optimal anatase phase TiO2-doped silica aerogel demonstrates the integrated properties of crack-free morphology (2.84% shrinkage), low thermal conductivity (29.30 mW/(m·K)) and low density (149.4 mg/cm3) after 800 °C treatment. This study may provide new insights for developing oxide-doped silica aerogels with both high-temperature resistance and low thermal radiation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials in Aerogel Composites)
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16 pages, 9267 KiB  
Article
Ag-Incorporated Cr-Doped BaTiO3 Aerogel toward Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Methyl Orange
by Jun Wu, Gaofeng Shao, Xiaodong Wu, Sheng Cui and Xiaodong Shen
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(10), 848; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14100848 - 13 May 2024
Viewed by 1136
Abstract
A novel Cr-doped BaTiO3 aerogel was successfully synthesized using a co-gelation technique that involves two metallic alkoxides and a supercritical drying method. This freshly prepared aerogel has a high specific surface area of over 100 m2/g and exhibits improved responsiveness [...] Read more.
A novel Cr-doped BaTiO3 aerogel was successfully synthesized using a co-gelation technique that involves two metallic alkoxides and a supercritical drying method. This freshly prepared aerogel has a high specific surface area of over 100 m2/g and exhibits improved responsiveness to the simulated sunlight spectrum. Methyl orange (MO) was chosen as the simulated pollutant, and the results reveal that the Cr-doped BaTiO3 aerogel, when modified with the noble metal silver (Ag), achieves a pollutant removal rate approximately 3.2 times higher than that of the commercially available P25, reaching up to 92% within 60 min. The excellent photocatalytic performance of the Ag-modified Cr-doped BaTiO3 aerogel can be primarily attributed to its extensive specific surface area and three-dimensional porous architecture. Furthermore, the incorporation of Ag nanoparticles effectively suppresses the recombination of photo-generated electrons and holes. Stability and reusability tests have confirmed the reliability of the Ag-modified Cr-doped BaTiO3 aerogel. Therefore, this material emerges as a highly promising candidate for the treatment of textile wastewater. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials in Aerogel Composites)
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16 pages, 6012 KiB  
Article
Study of Electrical and Dielectric Behaviors of Copper-Doped Zinc Oxide Ceramic Prepared by Spark Plasma Sintering for Electronic Device Applications
by Majdi Benamara, Kais Iben Nassar, Pedro Rivero-Antúnez, Manel Essid, Silvia Soreto Teixeira, Shanyu Zhao, Albert Serrà and Luis Esquivias
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(5), 402; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14050402 - 22 Feb 2024
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1663
Abstract
In this study, Cu-doped ZnO aerogel nanoparticles with a 4% copper concentration (Cu4ZO) were synthesized using a sol–gel method, followed by supercritical drying and heat treatment. The subsequent fabrication of Cu4ZO ceramics through Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), [...] Read more.
In this study, Cu-doped ZnO aerogel nanoparticles with a 4% copper concentration (Cu4ZO) were synthesized using a sol–gel method, followed by supercritical drying and heat treatment. The subsequent fabrication of Cu4ZO ceramics through Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) equipped with EDS, and impedance spectroscopy (IS) across a frequency range of 100 Hz to 1 MHz and temperatures from 270 K to 370 K. The SPS–Cu4ZO sample exhibited a hexagonal wurtzite structure with an average crystallite size of approximately 229 ± 10 nm, showcasing a compact structure with discernible pores. The EDS spectrum indicates the presence of the base elements zinc and oxygen with copper like the dopant element. Remarkably, the material displayed distinct electrical properties, featuring high activation energy values of about 0.269 ± 0.021 eV. Complex impedance spectroscopy revealed the impact of temperature on electrical relaxation phenomena, with the Nyquist plot indicating semicircular arc patterns associated with grain boundaries. As temperature increased, a noticeable reduction in the radius of these arcs occurred, coupled with a shift in their center points toward the axis center, suggesting a non-Debye-type relaxation mechanism. Dielectric analyses revealed a temperature-driven evolution of losses, emphasizing the material’s conductivity impact. Non-Debye-type behavior, linked to ion diffusion, sheds light on charge storage dynamics. These insights advance potential applications in electronic devices and energy storage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials in Aerogel Composites)
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11 pages, 4532 KiB  
Article
Cost-Effective Preparation of Hydrophobic and Thermal-Insulating Silica Aerogels
by Jiaqi Shan, Yunpeng Shan, Chang Zou, Ye Hong, Jia Liu and Xingzhong Guo
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(1), 119; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14010119 - 3 Jan 2024
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2461
Abstract
The aim of this study is to reduce the manufacturing cost of a hydrophobic and heat-insulating silica aerogel and promote its industrial application in the field of thermal insulation. Silica aerogels with hydrophobicity and thermal-insulation capabilities were synthesized by using water-glass as the [...] Read more.
The aim of this study is to reduce the manufacturing cost of a hydrophobic and heat-insulating silica aerogel and promote its industrial application in the field of thermal insulation. Silica aerogels with hydrophobicity and thermal-insulation capabilities were synthesized by using water-glass as the silicon source and supercritical drying. The effectiveness of acid and alkali catalysis is compared in the formation of the sol. The introduction of sodium methyl silicate for the copolymerization enhances the hydrophobicity of the aerogel. The resultant silica aerogel has high hydrophobicity and a mesoporous structure with a pore volume exceeding 4.0 cm3·g−1 and a specific surface area exceeding 950 m2·g−1. The obtained silica aerogel/fiber-glass-mat composite has high thermal insulation, with a thermal conductivity of less than 0.020 W·m−1·K−1. The cost-effective process is promising for applications in the industrial preparation of silica aerogel thermal-insulating material. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials in Aerogel Composites)
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11 pages, 2771 KiB  
Article
Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling of Silica Aerogels
by Bingjie Ma, Yingying Cheng, Peiying Hu, Dan Fang and Jin Wang
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(3), 467; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13030467 - 24 Jan 2023
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4059
Abstract
Silica aerogels are one of the most widely used aerogels, exhibiting excellent thermal insulation performance and ultralow density. However, owing to their plenitude of Si-O-Si bonds, they possess high infrared emissivity in the range of 8–13 µm and are potentially robust passive radiative [...] Read more.
Silica aerogels are one of the most widely used aerogels, exhibiting excellent thermal insulation performance and ultralow density. However, owing to their plenitude of Si-O-Si bonds, they possess high infrared emissivity in the range of 8–13 µm and are potentially robust passive radiative cooling (PRC) materials. In this study, the PRC behavior of traditional silica aerogels prepared from methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) and dimethyldimethoxysilane (DMDMS) in outdoor environments was investigated. The silica aerogels possessed low thermal conductivity of 0.035 W/m·K and showed excellent thermal insulation performance in room environments. However, sub-ambient cooling of 12 °C was observed on a clear night and sub-ambient cooling of up to 7.5 °C was achieved in the daytime, which indicated that in these cases the silica aerogel became a robust cooling material rather than a thermal insulator owing to its high IR emissivity of 0.932 and high solar reflectance of 0.924. In summary, this study shows the PRC performance of silica aerogels, and the findings guide the utilization of silica aerogels by considering their application environments for achieving optimal thermal management behavior. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials in Aerogel Composites)
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