Rapid preparation of Palygorskite/Al2O3 composite aerogels with superhydrophobicity,high-temperature thermal insulation and improved mechanical properties

Al₂O₃ aerogels are widely employed in heat insulation and flame retardancy because of their unique combination of low thermal conductivity and exceptional high-temperature stability. However, the mechanical properties of Al₂O₃ aerogel are poor, and the preparation time is considerably long. In this study, we present a simple and scalable approach to construct monolithic Pal/Al₂O₃ composite aerogels using solvothermal treatment instead of traditional solvent replacement, which remarkably shortened the preparation time. Subsequently, to obtain stable superhydrophobicity (θ > 152°), the Pal/Al₂O₃ aerogel was modified by gas-phase modification method. The obtained Pal/Al₂O₃ composite aerogels demonstrate the integrated properties of low density (0.078–0.106 g/cm³), low thermal conductivity (1000 °C, 0.143 W/(m·K)), good mechanical properties (Young's modulus, 1.6 MPa), and good heat resistance. The monolithic Pal/Al₂O₃ composite aerogels with improved mechanical performance and improved thermal stability can show great potential in the field of thermal insulation.     

Mechanical and thermal conductive properties of fiber‐reinforced silica‐alumina aerogels

We report the formation of Al₂O₃‐SiO₂ fiber‐reinforced Al₂O₃‐SiO₂ aerogels with the content of fibers in the range from 40 wt% to 55 wt% by sol‐gel reaction, followed by supercritical drying. The structure and physical properties of fiber‐reinforced Al₂O₃‐SiO₂ aerogels are studied. We find that the fiber‐reinforced Al₂O₃‐SiO₂ aerogels can be resistant to the temperature of 1200°C. The integration of fibers significantly improves the mechanical properties of Al₂O₃‐SiO₂ aerogels. We find that the bending strength of fiber‐reinforced Al₂O₃‐SiO₂ aerogels increases 0.431 MPa to 0.755 MPa and the elastic modulus increases from 0.679 MPa to 1.153 MPa, when the content of fibers increases from 40 wt% to 50 wt%. The thermal conductivity of the fiber‐reinforced Al₂O₃‐SiO₂ aerogels is in the range from 0.0403 W/mK to 0.0545 W/mK, depending on the content of fibers.     

Spherical hybrid filler BN@Al2O3 via chemical adhesive for enhancing thermal conductivity and processability of silicon rubber

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is an ideal candidate material for electrical and electronic systems due to its excellent performance. However, the addition of platelet-like h-BN leads to a dramatic increase of viscosity of composites and anisotropic thermal conductivity of composites. Herein, modified h-BN (m-BN) was coated onto spherical α-Al₂O₃ via chemical adhesive, and core-shell structured hybrid spherical filler (m-BN@Al₂O₃) was prepared. Furthermore, the microstructure, rheology, mechanical properties, and thermal conductivity of hybrid filler/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were studied. At 60 vol% filler loading, the thermal conductivity of m-BN@Al₂O₃/PDMS is up to 2.23 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹, which is 86% higher than that of Al₂O₃/PDMS and the ratio of in-plane diffusivity to through-plane diffusivity decreases from 2.0 to 1.0. At meanwhile, the viscosity of m-BN@Al₂O₃/PDMS is about one fourth of the viscosity of m-BN/Al₂O₃/PDMS. This simple and versatile strategy opens a pavement for enhancing the thermal conductivity of polymer and has great potential in high-frequency communication.     

Electrokinetic Properties of Vermiculite and Expanded Vermiculite: Effects of pH,Clay Concentration and Mono- and Multivalent Electrolytes

Abstract

In this study, the zeta potential values of vermiculite and expanded vermiculite were measured to determine the effect of pH, clay concentration, and various mono- and multivalent electrolytes including NaCl, KCl, NH₄Cl, NaNO₃, NaClO₄, Na₂SO₄, Na₂CO₃, Na₃PO₄·12H₂O, MgCl₂·6H₂O, CaCl₂·2H₂O, BaCl₂, SrCl₂·6H₂O, CuCl₂·2H₂O, CoCl₂·6H₂O, NiCl₂, AlCl₃, and CrCl₃·6H₂O on the electrokinetic properties of vermiculite samples. It was found that generally the measured zeta potential values of expanded vermiculite for the studied systems were slightly more negative than that of vermiculite. The pH profiles of vermiculite and expanded vermiculite at acidic, natural, and basic pH values were obtained to determine the effect of time on the pH values of clay suspensions. The zeta potential measurements showed that the surface charge of clay particles was negative in water. The isoelectric point of vermiculite and expanded vermiculite were determined as pH 2.30 and 2.57, respectively. Divalent cations (Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, and Ba²⁺), heavy metal ions (Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Co²⁺) and trivalent cations (Al³⁺ and Cr³⁺) were potential determining ions for vermiculite and expanded vermiculite particles. Moreover, divalent and trivalent cations caused the change of surface charge from negative to positive. On the other hand, monovalent cations (Na⁺, K⁺ and NH₄ ⁺), monovalent anions (Cl^?, NO₃ ^?, and ClO₄ ^?) and multivalent anions (SO₄ ^2?, CO₃ ^2?, and PO₄ ^3?) acted as indifferent ions for these clay particles.     

Preparation and evaluation of nanocomposites of polyfuran with Al2O3 and montmorillonite clay

High yield oxidative polymerization of furan was accomplished in CHCl₃ solvent at 0 °C. A nanocomposite of polyfuran (PF)–Al₂O₃ was prepared through polymerization of furan in a suspension of nanodimensional Al₂O₃ in CHCl₃ at 0 °C. High yield polymerization of furan was also achieved in montmorillonite clay (MMT) without any extraneous oxidant. The formation of PF was confirmed by FTIR and elemental analysis. Thermogravimetric analyses revealed the following trends in thermal stability: PF < PF–Al₂O₃ < Al₂O₃ and PF < PF–MMT < MMT. Scanning electron microscopy showed the average particles sizes to be ca 51 nm and ca 40 nm for PF–Al₂O₃ and PF–MMT composites, respectively. The occurrence of a peak at 19.84 Å in the X‐ray diffraction pattern of the PF–MMT composite was indicative of the intercalation of PF in MMT lamellae. Transmission electron microscopic analyses for the PF–MMT composite also showed incorporation of PF moieties in‐between the MMT layers. The dc conductivity values (S cm^?1) of PF–FeCl₃, PF–Al₂O₃–FeCl₃, PF–MMT and PF–MMT–FeCl₃ systems were in the order of 10^?6, 10^?7, 10^?8 and 10^?7, respectively, and the values were significantly enhanced compared to the dc conductivity value of PF homopolymers (10^?11). Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Microstructure of mayenite 12CaO·7Al2O3 and electron emission characteristics

Electron emission characteristic, electrical conductivity of polycrystalline mayenite (12CaO·7Al₂O₃) electride, formation of [Ca₂₄Al₂₈O₆₄]⁴⁺(e⁻)₄ framework as a function of phase content, and microstructure have been investigated. The mayenite microstructure was investigated using high-resolution transmission microscopy which revealed the type cage structure of 12CaO·7Al₂O₃ partially filled by extra-framework oxygen ions. Incorporation of electrons by means of carbon ion template 12CaO·7Al₂O₃ produces complex structure, and an incomplete ion template 12CaO·7Al₂O₃ structure consisting of mixture of a [Ca₂₄Al₂₈O₆₄]⁴⁺(e⁻)₄ and [Ca₂₄Al₂₈O₆₄]⁴⁺(O²⁻)₂ framework had a direct effect on the electron emission. Surface chemistry and stability of the 12CaO·7Al₂O₃ electride have been studied using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The work function of phase pure 12CaO·7Al₂O₃ electride was determined from direct thermionic emission data and compared to the measurement from ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS). Depending on the extent of ion template of 12CaO·7Al₂O₃ structure, a work function of 0.9–1.2 eV and 2.1–2.4 eV has been measured and thermionic emission initiating at 600°C.     

Effect of Al2O3 nanoparticles on the electrochemical characteristics of P(VDF-HFP)-based polymer electrolyte

Alumina (Al₂O₃) nanoparticles have been used as fillers in the preparation of poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluorpropylene) (P(VDF-HFP))-based porous polymer electrolyte. The degree of crystallization of polymer film filled with Al₂O₃ nanoparticles decreases with increase of the mass fraction of Al₂O₃ nanoparticles and the amorphous phases of polymer film expand accordingly. The Al₂O₃ nanoparticles play the role of solid plasticizer for polymer matrix. Nevertheless that excessive Al₂O₃ nanoparticles existing in polymer matrix leads to micro-phase separation between polymer matrix and fillers. As a result, both ionic conductivity and lithium ions transference number reduces whereas the activation energy for ions transport increases. When the polymer film is filled with 10% of the mass fraction of Al₂O₃ nanoparticles, polymer electrolyte possesses the ionic conductivity up to 1.95 × 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ and the lithium ions transference number to 0.73 while the activation energy for ions transport of them falls to 5.6 kJ mol⁻¹. Effect of Al₂O₃ on the electrochemical properties of polymer electrolyte has been investigated in this paper. Analysis of FTIR spectra shows that there is the interaction between Al₂O₃ nanoparticles and polymer chains.     

Crystallization characteristics of CaO–Al2O3–SiO2–Li2O–B2O3 mold flux with different values of w(CaO)/w(Al2O3)

The effect of C/A ratio (abbreviation of w(CaO)/w(Al₂O₃)) on the crystallization characteristics was investigated. With an increase in C/A ratio from 1.1 to 1.8, the crystallization ability first decreased and then increased; the crystallization ability is weakest and strongest with C/A ratios of 1.5 and 1.8, respectively. Increasing C/A ratio, the crystalline phase changed from LiAlO₂ and CaO·Al₂O₃ to LiAlO₂ and 3CaO·Al₂O₃. The Li⁺ ions in the slag took precedence over Ca²⁺ ions to participate in charge compensation because the mold flux contains Al3+ which is more advantageous for a monovalent cation, and LiAlO₂ formed preferentially over CaO·Al₂O₃. With a further increase in C/A ratio, 3CaO·Al₂O₃ formed from the combination of Ca²⁺ ions and Q_Al² units, and the precipitated amount of 3CaO·Al₂O₃ increased.     

Theoretical study on composition-dependent properties of ZnO·nAl2O3 spinels. Part II: Mechanical and thermophysical

Knowledge on the mechanical and thermophysical properties of ZnO·nAl₂O₃ is essential for practical applications. Based on the first-principles calculations and the bond valence method, the disordered spinel-type structure of ZnO·nAl₂O₃ (n = 1–4) was constructed to investigate the composition-dependent mechanical and thermophysical properties. The effects of cation substitution on the hardness, elastic modulus, thermal expansion, and thermal conductivity were revealed from the insights into the chemical bonds. At a higher n, the tetrahedral bond is stronger, manifested as its higher hardness and bulk modulus as well as smaller thermal expansion coefficient. Meanwhile, the octahedral bond is weaker, leading to the lower hardness and bulk modulus, along with the larger expansion coefficient. In consequence, the hardness and elastic moduli of ZnO·nAl₂O₃ are improved moderately while the expansion coefficient is decreased with the rise of n. Due to the different vibration characteristics of Zn^IV and Al^IV, the cation disorder in the 8a site provides the primary source of phonon scattering, resulting in the dramatic reduction of thermal conductivity as n increases. The understanding offers guidance on the application-oriented design of new oxide spinels.     

Poly(vinyl alcohol) nanocomposites with different clays: Pristine clays and organoclays

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/clay nanocomposites were synthesized using the solution intercalation method. Na ion‐exchanged clays [Na⁺–saponite (SPT) and Na⁺–montmorillonite (MMT)] and alkyl ammonium ion‐exchanged clays (C₁₂–MMT and C₁₂OOH–MMT) were used for the PVA nanocomposites. From the morphological studies, the Na ion‐exchanged clay is more easily dispersed in a PVA matrix than is the alkyl ammonium ion‐exchanged clay. Attempts were also made to improve both the thermal stabilities and the tensile properties of PVA/clay nanocomposite films, and it was found that the addition of only a small amount of clay was sufficient for that purpose. Both the ultimate tensile strength and the initial modulus for the nanocomposites increased gradually with clay loading up to 8 wt %. In C₁₂OOH–MMT, the maximum enhancement of the ultimate tensile strength and the initial modulus for the nanocomposites was observed for blends containing 6 wt % organoclay. Na ion‐exchanged clays have higher tensile strengths than those of organic alkyl‐exchanged clays in PVA nanocomposites films. On the other hand, organic alkyl‐exchanged clays have initial moduli that are better than those of Na ion‐exchanged clays. Overall, the content of clay particles in the polymer matrix affect both the thermal stability and the tensile properties of the polymer/clay nanocomposites. However, a change in thermal stability with clay was not significant. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 3208–3214, 2003     

Polylactide/transition metal ion modified montmorillonite nanocomposite—a critical evaluation of mechanical performance and thermal stability

Polylactide (PLA) nanocomposite was prepared by melt blending of PLA and transition metal ion (TMI) adsorbed montmorillonite (MMT). PLA nanocomposite was characterized for mechanical performance, and the results revealed that the tensile modulus, flexural modulus, and impact strength were increased marginally. The nanocomposite was optimized at 5 wt% of TMI‐modified MMT (TMI‐MMT) loading. Thermogravimetric analysis displayed increase in onset of degradation temperature, and differential scanning calorimetry showed marginal increase in glass transition temperature (T_g) and melting temperature (T_m) in case of PLA nanocomposites, when compared with virgin PLA. The flammability testing of nanocomposites indicated good fire retardance characters. X‐ray diffraction patterns of TMI‐MMT and the corresponding nanocomposites indicated an intercalation of the metal ions into the clay interlayer. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis indicate formation of [Zn(EDA)₂]²⁺ and [Cu(EDA)₂]²⁺ complexes in the MMT interlayer. Dynamic mechanical analysis shows increase in glass transition temperature (T_g) and storage modulus (E′) in case of PLA nanocomposites reinforced with 5 wt% modified MMT. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Irradiation response of Al2O3-ZrO2 ceramic composite under He ion irradiation

The dense Al₂O₃-ZrO₂ ceramic composite prepared by spark plasma sintering was irradiated by 500 keV He ions with different fluences and temperatures. The microstructural evolution and mechanical properties were investigated. The results showed that peak broadening and shifts at RT revealed by GIXRD and Raman are associated with damage induced microstrain and formation of point defects. The recovery at 500 °C suggested the reduction of irradiation induced damage. Compared with α-Al₂O₃, t-ZrO₂ exhibited a reverse trend in lattice parameters change and lattice expansion. Many helium bubbles with oblate and ribbon-like shape were mainly formed in α-Al₂O₃ grains at He concentration peak at 1.0 × 10¹⁷ ions/cm². With increasing of fluence at RT, ribbon-like helium bubbles developed into microcracks at 4.0 × 10¹⁷ ions/cm². Though evident structural changes, no full amorphization was observed at 4.0 × 10¹⁷ ions/cm². Formation of ribbon-like bubbles and microcracks is the main mechanism for degradation of mechanical properties of irradiated Al₂O₃-ZrO₂ composite.     

Facile preparation for gelatin/hydroxyethyl cellulose-SiO2 composite aerogel with good mechanical strength,heat insulation,and water resistance

The advanced thermal insulation materials with low cost and high mechanical properties play an important role in transport packaging and thermal protection fields. An inorganic/organic composite aerogel was prepared through hydrogen bonds and chemical crosslinking among silica aerogel particles, gelatin (GA), and hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC). The as-prepared GA/HEC-SiO₂ composite aerogels were characterized by compression tests, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, thermogravimetric analyzer, and contact angle tests to investigate the chemical composition and physical structure. The GA/HEC-SiO₂ composite aerogels exhibited a strong mechanical strength (0.53–4.01 MPa), a high compression modulus (1.33–11.52 MPa), a lower volume density (0.035–0.081 g/cm³), thermal conductivity as low as 0.035 W/[m K]), a porosity of more than 93%, and hydrophobic angle as high as 150.01° after hydrophobic modification. These results indicate that biopolymer composite aerogels embedded with SiO₂ aerogel particles display a bright future in thermal insulation.     

Multi-contact hybrid thermal conductive filler Al2O3@AgNPs optimized three-dimensional thermal network for flexible thermal interface materials

In this work, a multi-contact Al₂O₃@AgNPs hybrid thermal conductive filler was synthesized by in-situ growth method to fill high thermal conductivity polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based composites to prepare TIMs. And the thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, and mechanical properties of the composite materials were studied. During the synthesis process of the multi-contact hybrid filler, different concentrations of silver ions were reduced to generate silver nanoparticles and attached to the surface of Al₂O₃. Al₂O₃@AgNPs/PDMS thermally conductive composites were prepared by changing the filler addition. Using SEM, XPS, and XRD is used to characterize the morphology and chemical composition of Al₂O₃@AgNPs hybrid filler. The thermal conductivity of PDMS-based composites with different AgNPs content under 70 wt% filler loading was studied. The results show that the thermal conductivity of PDMS-based composites filled with 7owt%Al₂O₃@3AgNPs/PDMS multi-contact hybrid filler is 0.67 W/m·K, which is 3.72 times that of pure PDMS, and is higher than that of unmodified Al₂O₃ with the same addition amount. /PDMS composite material has a high thermal conductivity of 24%. This work provides a new idea for the design and manufacture of high thermal conductivity hybrid fillers for TIMs.     

Sintering,crystallization and properties of 2(Mg1−xMnx)O·2Al2O3·5SiO2 ceramics

Mn-substituted cordierites, 2(Mg_1?xMn_x)O·2Al₂O₃·5SiO₂ (x?=?0–1), were prepared from natural components (talc, clay, alumina) and MnO_2. Sintering behavior, phase transformation, and microstructural features of the samples were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA), dilatometric measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive analysis (EDS). The results of DTA and XRD analysis indicate that MnO₂ is successively reduced to Mn₂O₃ and MnO in the sintering process. Mn²⁺ ions incorporate into the crystal structure of α-cordierite substituting Mg²⁺ ions in octahedral sites and thus increasing the cordierite unit cell volume. Mn promotes the sintering process: the crystallization temperature, melting point, density and open porosity of Mn-substituted cordierites lowered, whereas the shrinkage and medium pore diameter enlarged with an increase in MnO₂ content in the mixture of raw materials. Surface enrichment with Mn with the formation of manganese oxide crystallites was found for the samples with high substitution degree.     

Theoretical study on composition-dependent properties of ZnO·nAl2O3 spinels. Part I: Optical and dielectric

Due to the transparency for both light and radio waves, Zn-Al spinels (ZnO·nAl₂O₃) may be applied as multi-mode windows. The rules of cation distribution in ZnO·nAl₂O₃ were determined with in-depth analysis of the local structure and then restricted by these rules, reasonable Zn_16–6xAl_32+4xO₆₄ (x = 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0) supercells were constructed to explore the composition-dependence of properties via the first-principles calculations. Based on the insights into the crystal, bond, electronic, and phonon structures, the effect of the cation substitution on the light absorption in ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths, refractive index, and dispersion in the visible region as well as the dielectric constant and dielectric loss in the microwave band was disclosed. The d−p hybridization of Zn and O results in a lower refractive index and a higher Abbé number of ZnO·nAl₂O₃ at larger n. Since Al^IV ions are lighter and form stronger bonds with O²⁻ than Zn^IV ions, the ultraviolet and infrared cut-off of the transmission window are red-shifted and blue-shifted with rising n, respectively. Al^IV ions are insignificant contributors to the low-frequency vibration modes, therefore the dielectric loss weakens as n increases. The understandings are significant for not only customizing the composition of ZnO·nAl₂O₃ but also designing novel oxide spinels with desired optical and dielectric properties.     

A novel aerogels/porous Si3N4 ceramics composite with high strength and improved thermal insulation property

A novel ZrO₂-SiO₂ aerogels/porous Si₃N₄ ceramics composite with high strength, low density, good dielectric properties and low thermal conductivity was synthesized by filling ZrO₂-SiO₂ aerogels into the porous Si₃N₄ ceramics through vacuum sol-impregnating. The effects of aerogels on the microstructure and properties of composite were discussed. The results show that aerogels could form a mesoporous structure and significantly decrease the thermal conductivity from 9.8 to 7.3 W m^?1 K^?1. Meanwhile, the density, mechanical and dielectric properties of the porous Si₃N₄ ceramics could not be affected after introducing ZrO₂-SiO₂ aerogels. The composite exhibits high porosity (62.6%), high flexural strength (53.86 MPa) and low dielectric constant (2.86). The ZrO₂-SiO₂ aerogels/porous Si₃N₄ ceramics composite shows great potential as radome materials applied in the fields of aerospace.     

Performance and transition mechanism from acidity to basicity of amphoteric oxides (Al2O3 and B2O3) in SiO2–CaO–Al2O3–B2O3 system: A molecular dynamics study

Amphoteric oxides (Al₂O₃ and B₂O₃) represent opposite effects on the structure and properties of silicate melts in different conditions, while the understanding about the transition from acidity to basicity is far from complete. Molecular dynamics simulation was adopted in the present study to investigate the performance and acidity-basicity transformation of Al₂O₃ and B₂O₃ in the SiO₂–CaO–Al₂O₃–B₂O₃ system. The results showed that, different from Ca²⁺ ions, excessive Al³⁺ or B³⁺ ions tend to destroy the bridge oxygen structures, showing the function of basic oxide. This is similar to the behavior of Ca²⁺ ions and other basicity ions. It was found that, on the one hand, B³⁺ ions tend to form [BO₃]^3- planar triangular structures with the increase of B³⁺ ions contents, on the other hand, B³⁺ ions could reduce the stability of Si–O bonds. Therefore, B³⁺ ions could make the system structure less stable, which is the reason why the B₂O₃ is a kind of active agent. In addition, because of the significant differences in lattice energy and atomic structure between Al₂O₃ and B₂O₃, the effects of Al₂O₃ and B₂O₃ on the thermodynamic properties of silicate melts are quite different.     

Influence of Al3+ on the cross relaxation process and electrical properties of Dy3+ activated Gd2O3 phosphor for white LED application

Gd₂O₃:Dy³⁺ Al³⁺ phosphors is synthesised by a wet-chemical method for various concentrations of Al³⁺ ion. X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence and impedance spectroscopy are used to understand the physio-chemical properties of the phosphors. The emission spectra of Dy³⁺ ion exhibit transition peaks centred at 572 nm (yellow), 486 nm (blue) and 669 nm (red). Energy transfer from Gd³⁺ to Dy³⁺ is also verified by exciting the phosphors at 274 nm. Some of the Dy³⁺ ions occupy both C₂ and S₆ site of Gd³⁺ ion in Gd₂O₃ matrix. It is also revealed that the enhancement of Dy³⁺ emission is strongly correlated to the surface morphology of the phosphors. Introducing Al³⁺ ions in Gd₂O₃:Dy³⁺ phosphor affect the emission properties of Dy³⁺ ions and its influence is explored at various concentration of Al³⁺ ions. The energy level diagram is presented to explain the cross-relaxation process among Dy³⁺ ions and the energy transfer from Gd³⁺ to Dy³⁺ ion.     

In situ co-polymerization of high-performance polybenzoxazine/silica aerogels for flame-retardancy and thermal insulation

Materials with high-performance thermal insulation and excellent flame-resistance are incredibly desirable for energy conservation and fire safety. In this study, a novel hybrid nanostructure network polybenzoxazine/silica (PBO/SiO₂) aerogels were fabricated through facile in situ co-polymerization sol-gel methods with ambient pressure drying using benzoxazine (BO) monomers and SiO₂ sol as reaction source, N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) as the solvent and hydrochloric acid (HCl) as the catalyst. The hybrid nanostructure network was retained by polymerization–induced nanoscale phase separation of PBO and SiO₂. The resulting PBO/SiO₂ aerogels exhibited finer microstructure, lower density (0.18 g/cm³), thermal conductivity (0.031 W/m·K), and better flame-resistance in comparison with PBO aerogels. They demonstrated an excellent compressive strength of 0.81 to 1.12 MPa at 10% deformation. The remarkable improvement in thermal insulation and flame-resistance of PBO/SiO₂ aerogels could be attributed to the combined effects of finer microstructure and formation of SiO₂ that was “in-situ” interpenetrated and interacted with silanols (Si-OH) in the PBO network during the combustion process. The successful synthesis of PBO/SiO₂ aerogels highlights the possibility of fabricating a novel high-performance thermal insulation and excellent flame-resistance used for energy-efficient buildings.