A novel strategy for the construction of silk fibroin–SiO2 composite aerogel with enhanced mechanical property and thermal insulation performance
A novel strategy for the construction of silk fibroin–SiO2 composite aerogel with enhanced mechanical property and thermal insulation performance
The practical application of silica aerogels is an enormous challenge due to the difficulties in improving both mechanical property and thermal insulation performance. In this work, silk fibroin was used as scaffold to improve the mechanical property and thermal insulation performance of silica aerogels. The ungelled SiO2 precursor solution was impregnated into silk fibroin to prepare silk fibroin–SiO2 composite aerogels via sol−gel method followed by freeze-drying. By virtue of the interfacial hydrogen-bonding interactions and chemical reactions between silk fibroin and silica nanoparticles, SiO2 was well-dispersed in the silk fibroin aerogel and composite aerogels exhibited enhanced mechanical property. By increasing the loading of silk fibroin from 15 wt % to 21 wt %, the maximum compressive stress was enhanced from 0.266 to 0.508 MPa when the strain reached 50%. The thermal insulation performance of the composite aerogels was improved compared with pure silica aerogel, as evidenced that the thermal conductivity was decreased from 0.0668 to 0.0341 W∙m‒1∙K‒1. Moreover, the composite aerogels exhibited better hydrophobicity and fire retardancy compared to pure silica aerogel. Our work provides a novel approach to preparing silk fibroin–SiO2 composite aerogels with enhanced mechanical property and thermal insulation performance, which has potential application as thermal insulation material.
silica aerogel / silk fibroin / impregnation / thermal insulation / mechanical property
[1] |
Baetens R, Jelle B P, Gustavsen A. Aerogel insulation for building applications: a state-of-the-art review. Energy and Building, 2011, 43(4): 761–769
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[2] |
Cuce E, Cuce P M, Wood C J, Riffat S B. Toward aerogel based thermal superinsulation in buildings: a comprehensive review. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2014, 34: 273–299
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[3] |
Maleki H, Duraes L, Portugal A. An overview on silica aerogels synthesis and different mechanical reinforcing strategies. Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 2014, 385: 55–74
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[4] |
Randall J P, Meador M A B, Jana S C. Tailoring mechanical properties of aerogels for aerospace applications. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2011, 3(3): 613–626
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[5] |
Dorcheh A S, Abbasi M H. Silica aerogel: synthesis, properties and characterization. Journal of Materials Processing Technology, 2008, 199(1–3): 10–26
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[6] |
He S, Huang Y, Chen G, Feng M, Dai H, Yuan B, Chen X. Effect of heat treatment on hydrophobic silica aerogel. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2019, 362: 294–302
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[7] |
An L, Wang J, Petit D, Armstrong J N, Li C, Hu Y, Huang Y, Shao Z, Ren S. A scalable crosslinked fiberglass-aerogel thermal insulation composite. Applied Materials Today, 2020, 21: 100843
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[8] |
Shao Z, Cheng X, Zheng Y. Facile co-precursor sol–gel synthesis of a novel amine-modified silica aerogel for high efficiency carbon dioxide capture. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2018, 530: 412–423
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[9] |
Maleki H. Recent advances in aerogels for environmental remediation applications: a review. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2016, 300: 98–118
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[10] |
Chen D, Gao H, Jin Z, Wang J, Dong W, Huang X, Wang G. Vacuum-dried synthesis of low-density hydrophobic monolithic bridged silsesquioxane aerogels for oil/water separation: effects of acid catalyst and its excellent flexibility. ACS Applied Nano Materials, 2018, 1(2): 933–939
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[11] |
Amonette J E, Matyáš J. Functionalized silica aerogels for gas-phase purification, sensing, and catalysis: a review. Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 2017, 250: 100–119
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[12] |
Wei S, Ching Y C, Chuah C H. Synthesis of chitosan aerogels as promising carriers for drug delivery: a review. Carbohydrate Polymers, 2020, 231: 115744
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[13] |
Kistler S S. Coherent expanded aerogels and jellies. Nature, 1931, 127(3211): 741–741
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[14] |
Lamy-Mendes A, Silva R F, Durães L. Advances in carbon nanostructure-silica aerogel composites: a review. Journal of Materials Chemistry A: Materials for Energy and Sustainability, 2018, 6(4): 1340–1369
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[15] |
Zheng Z, Zhao Y, Hu J, Wang H. Flexible, strong, multifunctional graphene oxide/silica-based composite aerogels via a double-cross-linked network approach. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2020, 12(42): 47854–47864
|
[16] |
Cai M, Shafi S, Zhao Y. Preparation of compressible silica aerogel reinforced by bacterial cellulose using tetraethylorthosilicate and methyltrimethoxylsilane co-precursor. Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 2018, 481: 622–626
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[17] |
Zhou T, Cheng X, Pan Y, Li C, Gong L, Zhang H. Mechanical performance and thermal stability of glass fiber reinforced silica aerogel composites based on co-precursor method by freeze drying. Applied Surface Science, 2018, 437: 321–328
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[18] |
Renjith P K, Sarathchandran C, Achary V S, Chandramohanakumar N, Sekkar V. Micro-cellular polymer foam supported silica aerogel: eco-friendly tool for petroleum oil spill cleanup. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2021, 415: 125548
|
[19] |
Koh L D, Cheng Y, Teng C P, Khin Y W, Loh X J, Tee S Y, Low M, Ye E, Yu H, Zhang Y, Han M Y. Structures, mechanical properties and applications of silk fibroin materials. Progress in Polymer Science, 2015, 46: 86–110
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[20] |
Hu Z, Yan S, Li X, You R, Zhang Q, Kaplan D L. Natural silk nanofibril aerogels with distinctive filtration capacity and heat-retention performance. ACS Nano, 2021, 15(5): 8171–8183
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[21] |
Zhu B, Wang H, Leow W R, Cai Y, Loh X J, Han M, Chen X. Silk fibroin for flexible electronic devices. Advanced Materials, 2016, 28(22): 4250–4265
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[22] |
Wang C, Xia K, Zhang Y, Kaplan D L. Silk-based advanced materials for soft electronics. Accounts of Chemical Research, 2019, 52(10): 2916–2927
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[23] |
Xu Y, Chen D, Du Z, Li J, Wang Y, Yang Z, Peng F. Structure and properties of silk fibroin grafted carboxylic cotton fabric via amide covalent modification. Carbohydrate Polymers, 2017, 161: 99–108
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[24] |
Maleki H, Shahbazi M A, Montes S, Hosseini S H, Eskandari M R, Zaunschirm S, Verwanger T, Mathur S, Milow B, Krammer B, Hüsing N. Mechanically strong silica-silk fibroin bioaerogel: a hybrid scaffold with ordered honeycomb micromorphology and multiscale porosity for bone regeneration. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2019, 11(19): 17256–17269
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[25] |
Maleki H, Whitmore L, Husing N. Novel multifunctional polymethylsilsesquioxane-silk fibroin aerogel hybrids for environmental and thermal insulation applications. Journal of Materials Chemistry A: Materials for Energy and Sustainability, 2018, 6(26): 12598–12612
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[26] |
Maleki H, Montes S, Hayati-Roodbari N, Putz F, Huesing N. Compressible, thermally insulating, and fire retardant aerogels through self-assembling silk fibroin biopolymers inside a silica structure-an approach towards 3D printing of aerogels. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2018, 10(26): 22718–22730
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[27] |
Wang C, Fang H, Hang C, Sun Y, Peng Z, Wei W, Wang Y. Fabrication and characterization of silk fibroin coating on APTES pretreated Mg–Zn–Ca alloy. Materials Science and Engineering C, 2020, 110: 110742
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[28] |
Liu J, Xi T. Enhanced anti-corrosion ability and biocompatibility of PLGA coatings on MgZnYNd alloy by BTSE-APTES pre-treatment for cardiovascular stent. Journal of Materials Science and Technology, 2016, 32(9): 845–857
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[29] |
Nadargi D Y, Rao A V. Methyltriethoxysilane: new precursor for synthesizing silica aerogels. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2009, 467(1–2): 397–404
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[30] |
Rockwood D N, Preda R C, Yucel T, Wang X, Lovett M L, Kaplan D L. Materials fabrication from Bombyx mori silk fibroin. Nature Protocols, 2011, 6(10): 1612–1631
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[31] |
Qin N, Zhang S, Jiang J, Corder S G, Qian Z, Zhou Z, Lee W, Liu K, Wang X, Li X, Shi Z, Mao Y, Bechtel H A, Martin M C, Xia X, Marelli B, Kaplan D L, Omenetto F G, Liu M, Tao T H. Nanoscale probing of electron-regulated structural transitions in silk proteins by near-field IR imaging and nano-spectroscopy. Nature Communications, 2016, 7(1): 13079
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[32] |
Song Y, Lin Z, Kong L, Xing Y, Lin N, Zhang Z, Chen B H, Liu X. Meso-functionalization of silk fibroin by upconversion fluorescence and near infrared in vivo biosensing. Advanced Functional Materials, 2017, 27(26): 1700628
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[33] |
Koebel M, Rigacci A, Achard P. Aerogel-based thermal superinsulation: an overview. Journal of Sol–Gel Science and Technology, 2012, 63(3): 315–339
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[34] |
Tamada Y. New process to form a silk fibroin porous 3-D structure. Biomacromolecules, 2005, 6(6): 3100–3106
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[35] |
Mermer N K, Yilmaz M S, Ozdemir O D, Piskin M B. The synthesis of silica-based aerogel from gold mine waste for thermal insulation. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 2017, 129(3): 1807–1812
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[36] |
Chen J, Xiao X, Xu Y, Liu J, Lv X. Fabrication of hydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic SiO2/silk fibroin coated mesh for oil/water separation. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 2021, 9(2): 105085
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[37] |
Gore P M, Naebe M, Wang X, Kandasubramanian B. Silk fibres exhibiting biodegradability & superhydrophobicity for recovery of petroleum oils from oily wastewater. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2020, 389: 121823
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[38] |
Shao Z, Luo F, Cheng X, Zhang Y. Superhydrophobic sodium silicate based silica aerogel prepared by ambient pressure drying. Materials Chemistry and Physics, 2013, 141(1): 570–575
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[39] |
Ul Haq E, Zaidi S F A, Zubair M, Karim M R A, Padmanabhan S K, Licciulli A. Hydrophobic silica aerogel glass-fibre composite with higher strength and thermal insulation based on methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) precursor. Energy and Building, 2017, 151: 494–500
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[40] |
Shao Z, Cheng X, Zheng Y. Facile co-precursor sol–gel synthesis of a novel amine-modified silica aerogel for high efficiency carbon dioxide capture. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2018, 530: 412–423
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[41] |
Zhu Y, Gu P, Wan H, Zhou S, He J, Li H, Li N, Xu Q, Lu J. SuFEx modification of silk fibroin silicon aerogel and its adsorption behavior and antibacterial performance. Chemosphere, 2022, 287: 132291
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[42] |
Cheng Z, Zheng K, Zhou S. Superhydrophobic silk fibroin-silica melamine sponge for efficient oil–water separation. Journal of Porous Materials, 2021, 29(1): 279–289
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[43] |
Liu L, Shan X, Hu X, Lv W, Wang J. Superhydrophobic silica aerogels and their layer-by-layer structure for thermal management in harsh cold and hot environments. ACS Nano, 2021, 15(12): 19771–19782
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[44] |
Tang G, Bi C, Zhao Y, Tao W. Thermal transport in nano-porous insulation of aerogel: factors, models and outlook. Energy, 2015, 90: 701–721
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[45] |
He Y, Xie T. Advances of thermal conductivity models of nanoscale silica aerogel insulation material. Applied Thermal Engineering, 2015, 81: 28–50
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[46] |
Xie T, He Y, Hu Z. Theoretical study on thermal conductivities of silica aerogel composite insulating material. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2013, 58(1–2): 540–552
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[47] |
Lei Y, Hu Z, Cao B, Chen X, Song H. Enhancements of thermal insulation and mechanical property of silica aerogel monoliths by mixing graphene oxide. Materials Chemistry and Physics, 2017, 187: 183–190
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[48] |
Schiavoni S, D’Alessandro F, Bianchi F, Asdrubali F. Insulation materials for the building sector: a review and comparative analysis. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2016, 62: 988–1011
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
[49] |
Zhang Y, Shen Q, Li X, Wang L, Nie C. Facile preparation of a phenyl-reinforced flexible silica aerogel with excellent thermal stability and fire resistance. Materials Chemistry Frontiers, 2021, 5(11): 4214–4224
CrossRef
ADS
Google scholar
|
/
〈 | 〉 |