Extreme cold weather seriously harms human thermoregulatory system,necessitating high-performance insulating garments to maintain body temperature.However,as the core insulating layer,advanced fibrous materials always...Extreme cold weather seriously harms human thermoregulatory system,necessitating high-performance insulating garments to maintain body temperature.However,as the core insulating layer,advanced fibrous materials always struggle to balance mechanical properties and thermal insulation,resulting in their inability to meet the demands for both washing resistance and personal protection.Herein,inspired by the natural spring-like structures of cucumber tendrils,a superelastic and washable micro/nanofibrous sponge(MNFS)based on biomimetic helical fibers is directly prepared utilizing multiple-jet electrospinning technology for high-performance thermal insulation.By regulating the conductivity of polyvinylidene fluoride solution,multiple-jet ejection and multiple-stage whipping of jets are achieved,and further control of phase separation rates enables the rapid solidification of jets to form spring-like helical fibers,which are directly entangled to assemble MNFS.The resulting MNFS exhibits superelasticity that can withstand large tensile strain(200%),1000 cyclic tensile or compression deformations,and retain good resilience even in liquid nitrogen(-196℃).Furthermore,the MNFS shows efficient thermal insulation with low thermal conductivity(24.85 mW m^(-1)K^(-1)),close to the value of dry air,and remains structural stability even after cyclic washing.This work offers new possibilities for advanced fibrous sponges in transportation,environmental,and energy applications.展开更多
Outlast Technologies GmbH has been awarded the WTiN Innovate Textile Award in the category Material Innovation for Aersulate®,its aerogel-infused insulation technology.The award honors outstanding achievements in...Outlast Technologies GmbH has been awarded the WTiN Innovate Textile Award in the category Material Innovation for Aersulate®,its aerogel-infused insulation technology.The award honors outstanding achievements in advanced material development and textile innovation.Aersulate® marks a significant advancement in thermal insulation.The technology integrates aerogel,whose highly porous structure efficiently traps air,delivering exceptional thermal performance at extremely low weight and minimal thickness.In AersulateR wadding,aerogel accounts for approximately 50%of the material volume,enabling superior insulation without bulk.展开更多
Typically used thermal insulation materials such as foam insulation and fibreglass may pose notable health risks and environmental impacts thereby resulting in respiratory irritation andwaste disposal issues,respectiv...Typically used thermal insulation materials such as foam insulation and fibreglass may pose notable health risks and environmental impacts thereby resulting in respiratory irritation andwaste disposal issues,respectively.While these materials are affordable and display good thermal insulation,their unsustainable traits pertaining to an intensive manufacturing process and poor disposability are major concerns.Alternative insulation materials with enhanced sustainable characteristics are therefore being explored,and one type of material which has gained notable attention owing to its low carbon footprint and low thermal conductivity is natural fibre.Among the few review studies conducted on Natural Fibre Reinforced Composite(NFRC)insulation boards,the multitude of factors and underlying mechanisms affecting their thermal conductivity performance have been sparsely covered.This review study aimed to address this gap by providing a holistic overview of some of the key intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting the thermal conductivity performance of NFRCs.Key intrinsic factors pertaining to the microstructural features and to the physico-mechanical traits of NFRCs,namely the fibre lumen size,α,and the fibre-matrix thermal conductivity ratio,β,respectively,were found to largely affect the Transverse Thermal Conductivity(TTC)in NFRC boards.Extrinsic factors,which were found to indirectly affect NFRCs’thermal conductivity,such as fibre pre-processing,composite manufacturing and environmental factors,were also covered.Some of the noteworthy NFRC featureswhich were found to affect their thermal conductivity are volume fraction of fibres,bulk density and porosity.The findings of this study highlight the need for additional research investigation to address the foregoing limitations observed in NFRC thermal insulation boards by considering appropriate natural fibres,composition and fabrication techniques.The fabrication of high-grade NFRC boards,which will display an optimum balance between enhanced thermal insulation and long-term durability performance,could further replace conventionally used thermal insulation boards in the modern building and construction industry.展开更多
In the present work,by virtue of the synergistic and independent effects of Janus structure,an asymmetric nickel-chain/multiwall carbon nanotube/polyimide(Ni/MWCNTs/PI)composite foam with absorption-dominated electrom...In the present work,by virtue of the synergistic and independent effects of Janus structure,an asymmetric nickel-chain/multiwall carbon nanotube/polyimide(Ni/MWCNTs/PI)composite foam with absorption-dominated electromagnetic interference(EMI)shielding and thermal insulation performances was successfully fabricated through an ordered casting and directional freeze-drying strategy.Water-soluble polyamic acid(PAA)was chosen to match the oriented freeze-drying method to acquire oriented pores,and the thermal imidization process from PAA to PI exactly eliminated the interface of the multilayered structure.By controlling the electro-magnetic gradient and propagation path of the incident microwaves in the MWCNT/PI and Ni/PI layers,the PI composite foam exhibited an efficient EMI SE of 55.8 dB in the X-band with extremely low reflection characteristics(R=0.22).The asymmetric conductive net-work also greatly preserved the thermal insulation properties of PI.The thermal conductivity(TC)of the Ni/MWCNT/PI composite foam was as low as 0.032 W/(m K).In addition,owing to the elimination of MWCNT/PI and Ni/PI interfaces during the thermal imidization process,the composite foam showed satisfactory compressive strength.The fabricated PI composite foam could provide reliable electromagnetic protection in complex applications and withstand high temperatures,which has great potential in cuttingedge applications such as advanced aircraft.展开更多
Due to excellent thermal insulation performance at room temperature and ultralow density,silica aero-gels are candidates for thermal insulation.However,at high temperatures,the thermal insulation prop-erty of silica a...Due to excellent thermal insulation performance at room temperature and ultralow density,silica aero-gels are candidates for thermal insulation.However,at high temperatures,the thermal insulation prop-erty of silica aerogels decreased greatly caused by transparency to heat radiation.Opacifiers introduced into silica sol can block heat radiation yet destroy the uniformity of aerogels.Herein,we designed and prepared a silica aerogel composite with oriented and layered silica fibers(SFs),SiC nanowires(SiC_(NWs)),and silica aerogels,which were prepared by papermaking,chemical vapor infiltration(CVI),and sol-gel respectively.Firstly,oriented and layered SFs made still air a wall to block heat transfer by the solid phase.Secondly,SiC_(NWs) were grown in situ on the surface of SFs evenly to weave into the network,and the network reduced the gaseous thermal conductivity by dividing cracks in SFs/SiC_(NWs)/SA.Thirdly,SiC_(NWs) weakened the heat transfer by radiation at high temperatures.Therefore,SFs/SiC_(NWs)/SA presented remarkable thermal insulation(0.017 W(m K)^(-1) at 25℃,0.0287 W(m K)^(-1) at 500℃,and 0.094 W(m K)^(-1) at 1000℃).Besides,SFs/SiC_(NWs)/SA exhibited remarkable thermal stability(no size transform after being heat treated at 1000℃ for 1800 s)and tensile strength(0.75 MPa).These integrated properties made SFs/SiC_(NWs)/SA a promising candidate for highly efficient thermal insulators.展开更多
Thermally conductive papers with electrical insulation and mechanical robustness are essential for efficient thermal management in modern electronics.In this study,we introduced a metal ion-assisted interfacial crossl...Thermally conductive papers with electrical insulation and mechanical robustness are essential for efficient thermal management in modern electronics.In this study,we introduced a metal ion-assisted interfacial crosslinking strategy to strengthen sugarfunctionalized graphene fluoride(SGF)and cellulose nanofibers(CNF)by hydrogen bonding and metal ion crosslinking that leads to simultaneous enhancements in thermal conductivity and mechanical properties.The facile sugarassisted ball-milling exfoliation method was developed to achieve the exfoliation of graphite fluoride and hydroxyl group functionalization on the surface of graphene fluoride.Thanks to the good dispersibility of the SGF sheets in water,the flexible SGF/CNF composite papers with hydrogen bonding were prepared via vacuum-assisted filtration.We introduced hydrogen bonding and metal ion crosslinking into SGF/CNF papers to obtain densely packed composite papers.Ca^(2+)or Al^(3+)ion-crosslinked SGF/CNF papers exhibited superior thermal and mechanical properties owing to hydrogen bonding and metal ion crosslinking.SGF/CNF-Ca^(2+)and SGF/CNF-Al^(3+)papers at 50 wt%of SGF yield in-plane thermal conductivities of 72.93 and 75.02 W m^(-1) K^(-1),and tensile strengths of 121.5 and 135.7 MPa,respectively.A thermal percolation value was observed at 12.6 vol%of SGF filler content.In addition,the SGF/CNF papers exhibited electrical insulation properties.These remarkable characteristics of the metal ion-crosslinked SGF/CNF papers are attributed to the densely packed structures caused by the strong interfacial interactions from hydrogen bonding as well as metal ion-crosslinking that could promote phonon transport.High-performance metal ion-crosslinked SGF/CNF papers with these fascinating advantages offer great potential for the thermal management of flexible electronics.展开更多
BACKGROUND Elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery are at high risk for hypothermia-related complications.This study explores the efficacy of periop-erative composite insulation intervention...BACKGROUND Elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery are at high risk for hypothermia-related complications.This study explores the efficacy of periop-erative composite insulation interventions in maintaining normothermia and reducing postoperative risks in this vulnerable group.AIM To evaluate the efficacy of perioperative composite insulation in older patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery.METHODS We selected 100 older patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer at Huzhou Central Hospital from September 2023 to April 2024.Using a random number table,patients were divided into a control group and inter-vention group of 50 patients each.After returning to the regular ward,the con-ventional group received traditional insulation intervention measures,while the intervention group received composite insulation nursing intervention.We ob-served and recorded postoperative blood pressure and heart rate changes,as well as postoperative anesthesia recovery time and incidence of complications.RESULTS The statistical results showed significant differences(P<0.05)in heart rate changes and systolic blood pressure between the two groups.There was a sig-nificant change in heart rate between the groups immediately after surgery and at 15 and 30 minutes after surgery(P<0.05).The heart rate and systolic blood pressure of the intervention group were significantly lower than those of the control group at 15 and 30 minutes after surgery(P<0.05).The rewarming time of the intervention group was shorter than that of the control group,and the overall incidence of postoperative complications was significantly lower than that of the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION For elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery,a composite insulation intervention during the perioperative period can maintain body temperature,reduce postoperative stress,and significantly reduce the incidence of hypothermia and related complications.展开更多
This applied research seeks to explore feasible plant design for manufacturing insulation materials for construction projects using waste sheep fleece to address environmental issues related to wasted sheep wool and e...This applied research seeks to explore feasible plant design for manufacturing insulation materials for construction projects using waste sheep fleece to address environmental issues related to wasted sheep wool and enhance the gross national product. The process starts by collecting low-cost sheep fleece from farms and processed via a production line, including scouring, plucking, carding, thermal bonding, and packing. The design process involves determining an optimal location, infrastructure, staffing, machinery, environmental impact, and utilities. A final economic analysis is undertaken to estimate the product’s cost, selling price, and break-even point based on the anticipated capital and operational costs. The plant is intended to process 6778 tons of sheep wool annually. The study suggests that Mafraq Industrial City is a perfect location for the plant, and purchasing land and structures is the optimal option. The projected capital cost is 1,416,679 USD, while the anticipated operational costs amount to 3,206,275 USD. Insulation material production is estimated to be 114,756 m3 annually. The material may be manufactured into 1 m wide, 0.05 m thick sheets for 2.02 USD per square meter. Thus, for a 10-year plant, a 2.47 USD/m2 selling price breaks even in one year.展开更多
In view of the requirements for high-performance epoxy resin(EP)enamelled wire insulating varnish in the rapidly developments of new energy vehicle drive motors,the problems of localised electric field concentration d...In view of the requirements for high-performance epoxy resin(EP)enamelled wire insulating varnish in the rapidly developments of new energy vehicle drive motors,the problems of localised electric field concentration due to the unevenness electric field distribution has to be solved.In this paper,to enhance the corona resistance,insulation,and mechanical properties of EP insulating varnish,the function dielectric gradient structure consists of hyperbranched polyester(HBP)inner layer and silane coupling agent(KH-550)modified graphene oxide(GO)nonlinear layer are proposed.The results show that the introduction of HBP not only adjusts the dielectric constant of the insulating varnish but also increases the breakdown field strength significantly,and with the increase of K-GO,the nonlinear conductivity of K-GO/EP insulating varnish becomes more prominent.Simulation results show that the highest field strength of the structural insulating varnish with different dielectric constant gradients is reduced to 16.7 kV/mm,and the field strength difference of the inner layer is reduced to 0.3 kV/mm,which further reduces the electric field aberration of the neighbouring interfaces as compared to the pure EP insulating varnish.This work provides a new strategy for constructing the dielectric gradient structure to meet the high corona resistance and insulating varnish requirements of high-voltage motor enamelled wire insulating varnish in actual industrial production.展开更多
Two-dimensional double-layer honeycomb(DLHC)materials are known for their diverse physical properties,but superconductivity has been a notably absent characteristic in this structure.We address this gap by investigati...Two-dimensional double-layer honeycomb(DLHC)materials are known for their diverse physical properties,but superconductivity has been a notably absent characteristic in this structure.We address this gap by investigating M_(2)N_(2)(M=Nb,Ta)with DLHC structure using first-principles calculations.Our results show that M_(2)N_(2)are stable and metallic,exhibiting superconducting behavior.Specifically,Nb_(2)N_(2)and Ta_(2)N_(2)display superconducting transition temperatures of 6.8 K and 8.8 K,respectively.Their electron-phonon coupling is predominantly driven by the coupling between metal d-orbitals and low-frequency metal-dominated vibration modes.Interestingly,two compounds also exhibit non-trivial band topology.Thus,M_(2)N_(2)are promising platforms for studying the interplay between topology and superconductivity and fill the gap in superconductivity research for DLHC materials.展开更多
As the application scenarios of aerogels expand,higher requirements are put forward for the materials used to prepare aerogels.Due to the unique chemical structure,polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE)has excellent properties...As the application scenarios of aerogels expand,higher requirements are put forward for the materials used to prepare aerogels.Due to the unique chemical structure,polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE)has excellent properties such as high-temperature resistance,hydrophobicity,and chemical stability.However,the PTFE aerogels are difficult to be molded due to the weak interaction between resin particles.In this work,poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO)was selected as the carrier to assist the PTFE aerogels molding.The pure PTFE aerogels were prepared by homogeneously mixing PTFE aqueous dispersion and PEO,freeze-drying,and high-temperature sintering.When the mass fraction of PTFE and PEO were appropriate,the porosity of PTFE aerogels exceeded 90%and had a hierarchical honeycomb structure.Results showed that the PTFE aerogels not only had excellent hydrophobicity but also possessed superior acoustic insulation,mechanical strength,thermal insulation,and heat resistance properties.Specifically,the water contact angle is about 140°.The noise reduction coefficient is 0.34 and the average sound absorption coefficient is greater than 88%in the frequency range of 2000-6400 Hz.Meanwhile,the thermal conductivity in the air is about 0.045 W/(m·K),and the initial thermal decomposition temperature is 450℃.More importantly,the PTFE aerogels had excellent temperature and corrosion resistance.Even after extremely thermal and chemical treatment,they remained unchanged porous structure as well as acoustic and thermal insulation properties,which exhibits great potential for application in many harsh environments.展开更多
Hygroscopic hydrogel is a promising evaporativecooling material for high-power passive daytime cooling with water self-regeneration.However,undesired solar and environmental heating makes it a challenge to maintain su...Hygroscopic hydrogel is a promising evaporativecooling material for high-power passive daytime cooling with water self-regeneration.However,undesired solar and environmental heating makes it a challenge to maintain sub-ambient daytime cooling.While different strategies have been developed to mitigate heat gains,they inevitably sacrifice the evaporation and water regeneration due to highly coupled thermal and vapor transport.Here,an anisotropic synergistically performed insulation-radiation-evaporation(ASPIRE)cooler is developed by leveraging a dual-alignment structure both internal and external to the hydrogel for coordinated thermal and water transport.The ASPIRE cooler achieves an impressive average sub-ambient cooling temperature of~8.2℃ and a remarkable peak cooling power of 311 W m^(-2)under direct sunlight.Further examining the cooling mechanism reveals that the ASPIRE cooler reduces the solar and environmental heat gains without comprising the evaporation.Moreover,self-sustained multi-day cooling is possible with water self-regeneration at night under both clear and cloudy days.The synergistic design provides new insights toward high-power,sustainable,and all-weather passive cooling applications.展开更多
Due to the global energy shortage,it has become essential to reduce energy consumption in the steelmaking process in order to promote the sustainable development of the metallurgical industry.The limitations of tradit...Due to the global energy shortage,it has become essential to reduce energy consumption in the steelmaking process in order to promote the sustainable development of the metallurgical industry.The limitations of traditional ladle insulation materials were addressed by using kaolin as the main raw material in combination with foam-gelcasting technique for in-situ synthesis of porous anorthite thermal insulation materials.Concurrently,the effects of sintering temperature and time on the composition of the physical phases,microstructure and physical properties were elucidated.The results showed that anorthite was the main phase obtained in sintering temperature range of 1200-1450℃,and edges of anorthite grains were well defined and well developed,presenting a plate-like morphology,which significantly improved mechanical strength of sample.The best overall performance was achieved at a firing temperature of 1400℃ and a holding time of 3 h.Compared to conventional ladle thermal insulation materials,samples developed herein showed excellent performance with a porosity of 63.3%,a compressive strength of 14.51 MPa,and an ultra-low thermal conductivity of only 0.29 W/(m K).展开更多
In order to support the physical research on the EAST tokamak,a new positive ion source with designed beam energy of 120 keV was proposed to be developed.Accelerator structure is one of the key components of the ion s...In order to support the physical research on the EAST tokamak,a new positive ion source with designed beam energy of 120 keV was proposed to be developed.Accelerator structure is one of the key components of the ion source.Through the finite element analysis method,the electrostatic analyses of insulators and grid plates were carried out,the material and structure parameters of insulators were determined.The maximum electric field around each insulator is about 4 kV/mm,and the maximum electric field between grids is about 14 kV/mm,which can meet the 120 keV withstand voltage holding.The insulation system for the positive ion source accelerator with 120 keV is designed,and the connection and basic parameters of insulators and support flanges are analyzed and determined.展开更多
Three-dimensional(3D)carbon aerogel with high porosity and lightweight merit has emerged as an important high-performance electromagnetic(EM)absorption material.Despite great progress has been made,most reported 3D ca...Three-dimensional(3D)carbon aerogel with high porosity and lightweight merit has emerged as an important high-performance electromagnetic(EM)absorption material.Despite great progress has been made,most reported 3D carbon aerogels suffer from non-renewability and high cost.Moreover,the randomly distributed porous structure restricts the effective regulation of microwave absorption.Herein,the sustainable shaddock peel cellulose(SPC)was adopted to construct an ultralight and orientated carbon aerogel through a facile bidirectional freezing technique and subsequently thermal treatment process.The resultant carbon aerogel is composed of ordered lamellar layers interconnected by supported bridges,forming a continuous 3D conductive network.Addition of a small amount of graphene oxides(GO)nanosheets in biomass aerogel enhances the interaction of SPC and promotes electron transmission along 3D conductive network.Through tuning the lamellar spacing of aerogel,the as-prepared carbon aerogel achieves a remarkable microwave absorption property with a strong reflection loss(RL)of−63.0 dB and broad effective absorption bandwidth(EAB)of 7.0 GHz under ultralow filler content of 4 wt.%.Moreover,this carbon aerogel also demonstrates excellent thermal insulation property,and is even comparable to commercial products.The present work paves the way for designing low-cost and sustainable biomass-derived carbon aerogel for lightweight and high-performance microwave absorption and infrared stealth function.展开更多
Poly(vinylidene fluoride)(PVDF)foam has received widespread attention due to its high strength,and excellent combination of flame-retardancy,antibacterial performance,and chemical stability.However,the foaming ability...Poly(vinylidene fluoride)(PVDF)foam has received widespread attention due to its high strength,and excellent combination of flame-retardancy,antibacterial performance,and chemical stability.However,the foaming ability of conventional PvDF is severely limited by its rapid crystallization kinetics and poor melt strength.Although ultra-high molecular weight PVDF(H-PVDF)theoretically offers prolonged melt elasticity favorable for foaming,the extremely high melt viscosity poses substantial processing challenges,and its foaming behavior has remained largely unexplored.To address these issues,this study proposes a novel fabrication strategy combining solvent casting with microcellular foaming to prepare H-PVDF foams.Dynamic mechanical analysis and differential scanning calorimetry reveal that extensive chain entanglements in H-PVDF impose constraints on crystallization and significantly enhance melt strength.By tuning the processing parameters,the distinctive foaming be-havior of H-PVDF under various conditions is systematically elucidated.Remarkably,a record-high expansion ratio of 55.6-fold is achieved,ac-companied by a highly uniform and fine cellular structure.The resulting H-PVDF foams exhibit a low thermal conductivity of 31.8 mW·m^(-1).K^(-1),while retaining excellent compressive strength,flame-retardancy,and hydrophobicity.These outstanding properties highlight the great potential of H-PVDF foams as the thermal insulation materials for applications in aerospace,energy infrastructure,and other extreme environments.展开更多
This study focuses on the electrical properties and microstructure of polypropylene(PP)-based blends used for cable insulation in nuclear power plants(NPPs).The PP-based blend,comprising isotactic PP and propylene-bas...This study focuses on the electrical properties and microstructure of polypropylene(PP)-based blends used for cable insulation in nuclear power plants(NPPs).The PP-based blend,comprising isotactic PP and propylene-based elastomer(PBE)at concentrations ranging from 0 to 50 wt%,underwent a melt blending process and subsequent cobalt-60 gamma-ray irradiation with doses ranging from 0 to 250 kGy.Electrical conductivity,trap distribution,and alternating(AC)breakdown strength were chosen to assess the insulation performance.These results indicate that the addition of PBE significantly improves the electrical properties of PP under irradiation.For PP,the electrical conductivity increased with irradiation,whereas the trap depth and breakdown strength decreased sharply.Conversely,for the blend,these changes initially exhibit opposite trends.When the irradiation was increased to 250 kGy,the AC breakdown strength of the blend improved by more than 21%compared to that of PP.The physical and chemical structures of the samples were investigated to explore the improvement mechanisms.The results offer insights into the design of new cable-insulation materials suitable for NPPs.展开更多
The demand for anisotropic aerogels with excellent comprehensive properties in cutting-edge fields such as aerospace is growing.Based on the above background,a novel heterocyclic para-aramid nanofiber/reduced graphene...The demand for anisotropic aerogels with excellent comprehensive properties in cutting-edge fields such as aerospace is growing.Based on the above background,a novel heterocyclic para-aramid nanofiber/reduced graphene oxide(HPAN/rGO)composite aerogel was prepared by combining electrospinning and unidirectional freeze-drying.The anisotropic HPAN/rGO composite aerogel exhibited a honeycomb morphology in the direction perpendicular to the growth of ice crystals,and a through-well structure of directed microchannels in the direction parallel to the temperature gradient.By varying the mass ratio of HPAN/rGO,a composite aerogel with an ultra-low density of 5.34-7.81 mg·cm^(-3) and an ultra-high porosity of 98%-99%was obtained.Benefiting from the anisotropic structure,the radial and axial thermal conductivities of HPAN/rGO-3 composite aerogel were 29.37 and 44.35 mW·m^(-1)·K^(-1),respectively.A combination of software simulation and experiments was used to analyze the effect of anisotropic structures on the thermal insulation properties of aerogels.Moreover,due to the intrinsic self-extinguishing properties of heterocyclic para-aramid and the protection of the graphene carbon layer,the composite aerogel also exhibits excellent flame retardancy properties,and its total heat release rate(THR)was only 5.8 kJ·g^(-1),which is far superior to many reported aerogels.Therefore,ultralight anisotropic HPAN/rGO composite aerogels with excellent high-temperature thermal insulation and flame retardancy properties have broad application prospects in complex environments such as aerospace.展开更多
As electromagnetic pollution escalates and protection demands diversify,there is an urgent requirement for versatile carbon foam materials capable of absorbing electromagnetic waves(EMWs).Furthermore,the concern about...As electromagnetic pollution escalates and protection demands diversify,there is an urgent requirement for versatile carbon foam materials capable of absorbing electromagnetic waves(EMWs).Furthermore,the concern about global warming and the depletion of petrochemical resources calls for facile and eco-friendly methods for the large-scale production of multi-functional and biodegradable carbon foams.Herein,cornstraw-derived carbon foams(CCFs)integrating EMW absorption,sound absorption,and heat insulation were prepared by a facile dual-template strategy.Benefiting from the dual-template effect of air bubbles and ice crystals,the obtained foam manifests an ultra-low density of 31 mg/cm^(3),large poros-ity of 0.85 and also super-broad absorption with an effective absorption bandwidth(EAB)of 7.18 GHz at 3.6 mm,even beyond most carbon-based composite foams.Moreover,abundant pores also endow the foam with good thermal insulation performance(as low as 0.041 W/(m K))and high sound absorp-tion coefficient(0.8 at 1250-6000 Hz),which are equivalent to commercial foams.The excellent EMW absorption performance originates from conduction loss produced by the three-dimensional(3D)inter-connected network structure and also interfacial polarization and multiple scattering induced by porous structure.Additionally,the abundant closed pores in foam prevent thermal convection and thus provide good thermal-insulation performance,yet the opening pores proffer excellent sound absorption through resonance and friction absorption.This study provides new insights into the green synthesis of multi-functional microwave absorbing foam and also supplies a new thermal-insulation material for exterior walls of buildings exposed to electromagnetic environment.展开更多
Integrating phase change materials(PCM)into thermal insulation materials offers a novel approach to aerospace thermal protection.Herein,we used waste biomass as a template;by selecting the appropriate carbonization te...Integrating phase change materials(PCM)into thermal insulation materials offers a novel approach to aerospace thermal protection.Herein,we used waste biomass as a template;by selecting the appropriate carbonization temperature,we obtained carbon aerogels(CCA)with extremely high porosity(95.8%)and high pore volume.After encapsulating PEG2000,we achieved high enthalpy(137.79 J g^(−1),91%of pure PEG2000)and low thermal conductivity(0.137 W(m·K)^(–1),45% of pure PEG2000).Thanks to the rich hierarchical nano-micro porous structure of CCA and the high latent heat of PEG2000,CCA/PEG exhibits excellent thermal insulation properties(under a heating temperature of 131℃,the material takes 1400 s to reach its maximum temperature and can be maintained below 65℃)and cycle performance.Additionally,irradiation destroyed the structure of CCA/PEG,leading to the degradation of PEG and the formation of other carbonyl-containing compounds,which decreased its latent heat(4.2%)and thermal conductivity(16.1%).However,the irradiation-resistant CCA,acting as a protective layer,minimizes the impact of irradiation on PEG2000.Instead,irradiation enhances the hierarchical porous structure of the material,ultimately improving its thermal insulation performance.CCA/PEG has potential application prospects in thermal protection and aerospace and is a strong competitor for high-efficiency thermal insulation materials.展开更多
基金supported by Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by China Association for Science and Technology(No.2022QNRC001)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52273053)the Chenguang Program of Shanghai Education Development Foundation and Shanghai Municipal Education Commission(No.21CGA41)。
文摘Extreme cold weather seriously harms human thermoregulatory system,necessitating high-performance insulating garments to maintain body temperature.However,as the core insulating layer,advanced fibrous materials always struggle to balance mechanical properties and thermal insulation,resulting in their inability to meet the demands for both washing resistance and personal protection.Herein,inspired by the natural spring-like structures of cucumber tendrils,a superelastic and washable micro/nanofibrous sponge(MNFS)based on biomimetic helical fibers is directly prepared utilizing multiple-jet electrospinning technology for high-performance thermal insulation.By regulating the conductivity of polyvinylidene fluoride solution,multiple-jet ejection and multiple-stage whipping of jets are achieved,and further control of phase separation rates enables the rapid solidification of jets to form spring-like helical fibers,which are directly entangled to assemble MNFS.The resulting MNFS exhibits superelasticity that can withstand large tensile strain(200%),1000 cyclic tensile or compression deformations,and retain good resilience even in liquid nitrogen(-196℃).Furthermore,the MNFS shows efficient thermal insulation with low thermal conductivity(24.85 mW m^(-1)K^(-1)),close to the value of dry air,and remains structural stability even after cyclic washing.This work offers new possibilities for advanced fibrous sponges in transportation,environmental,and energy applications.
文摘Outlast Technologies GmbH has been awarded the WTiN Innovate Textile Award in the category Material Innovation for Aersulate®,its aerogel-infused insulation technology.The award honors outstanding achievements in advanced material development and textile innovation.Aersulate® marks a significant advancement in thermal insulation.The technology integrates aerogel,whose highly porous structure efficiently traps air,delivering exceptional thermal performance at extremely low weight and minimal thickness.In AersulateR wadding,aerogel accounts for approximately 50%of the material volume,enabling superior insulation without bulk.
文摘Typically used thermal insulation materials such as foam insulation and fibreglass may pose notable health risks and environmental impacts thereby resulting in respiratory irritation andwaste disposal issues,respectively.While these materials are affordable and display good thermal insulation,their unsustainable traits pertaining to an intensive manufacturing process and poor disposability are major concerns.Alternative insulation materials with enhanced sustainable characteristics are therefore being explored,and one type of material which has gained notable attention owing to its low carbon footprint and low thermal conductivity is natural fibre.Among the few review studies conducted on Natural Fibre Reinforced Composite(NFRC)insulation boards,the multitude of factors and underlying mechanisms affecting their thermal conductivity performance have been sparsely covered.This review study aimed to address this gap by providing a holistic overview of some of the key intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting the thermal conductivity performance of NFRCs.Key intrinsic factors pertaining to the microstructural features and to the physico-mechanical traits of NFRCs,namely the fibre lumen size,α,and the fibre-matrix thermal conductivity ratio,β,respectively,were found to largely affect the Transverse Thermal Conductivity(TTC)in NFRC boards.Extrinsic factors,which were found to indirectly affect NFRCs’thermal conductivity,such as fibre pre-processing,composite manufacturing and environmental factors,were also covered.Some of the noteworthy NFRC featureswhich were found to affect their thermal conductivity are volume fraction of fibres,bulk density and porosity.The findings of this study highlight the need for additional research investigation to address the foregoing limitations observed in NFRC thermal insulation boards by considering appropriate natural fibres,composition and fabrication techniques.The fabrication of high-grade NFRC boards,which will display an optimum balance between enhanced thermal insulation and long-term durability performance,could further replace conventionally used thermal insulation boards in the modern building and construction industry.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shanxi Province(Nos.20210302123015 and 20210302123035)the Opening Project of State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering(Sichuan University)(No.sklpme2022-4-06)the Open Foundation of China-Belarus Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Electromagnetic Environment Effect(No.ZBKF2022030301).
文摘In the present work,by virtue of the synergistic and independent effects of Janus structure,an asymmetric nickel-chain/multiwall carbon nanotube/polyimide(Ni/MWCNTs/PI)composite foam with absorption-dominated electromagnetic interference(EMI)shielding and thermal insulation performances was successfully fabricated through an ordered casting and directional freeze-drying strategy.Water-soluble polyamic acid(PAA)was chosen to match the oriented freeze-drying method to acquire oriented pores,and the thermal imidization process from PAA to PI exactly eliminated the interface of the multilayered structure.By controlling the electro-magnetic gradient and propagation path of the incident microwaves in the MWCNT/PI and Ni/PI layers,the PI composite foam exhibited an efficient EMI SE of 55.8 dB in the X-band with extremely low reflection characteristics(R=0.22).The asymmetric conductive net-work also greatly preserved the thermal insulation properties of PI.The thermal conductivity(TC)of the Ni/MWCNT/PI composite foam was as low as 0.032 W/(m K).In addition,owing to the elimination of MWCNT/PI and Ni/PI interfaces during the thermal imidization process,the composite foam showed satisfactory compressive strength.The fabricated PI composite foam could provide reliable electromagnetic protection in complex applications and withstand high temperatures,which has great potential in cuttingedge applications such as advanced aircraft.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foun-dation of China(Grant No.U2167214).
文摘Due to excellent thermal insulation performance at room temperature and ultralow density,silica aero-gels are candidates for thermal insulation.However,at high temperatures,the thermal insulation prop-erty of silica aerogels decreased greatly caused by transparency to heat radiation.Opacifiers introduced into silica sol can block heat radiation yet destroy the uniformity of aerogels.Herein,we designed and prepared a silica aerogel composite with oriented and layered silica fibers(SFs),SiC nanowires(SiC_(NWs)),and silica aerogels,which were prepared by papermaking,chemical vapor infiltration(CVI),and sol-gel respectively.Firstly,oriented and layered SFs made still air a wall to block heat transfer by the solid phase.Secondly,SiC_(NWs) were grown in situ on the surface of SFs evenly to weave into the network,and the network reduced the gaseous thermal conductivity by dividing cracks in SFs/SiC_(NWs)/SA.Thirdly,SiC_(NWs) weakened the heat transfer by radiation at high temperatures.Therefore,SFs/SiC_(NWs)/SA presented remarkable thermal insulation(0.017 W(m K)^(-1) at 25℃,0.0287 W(m K)^(-1) at 500℃,and 0.094 W(m K)^(-1) at 1000℃).Besides,SFs/SiC_(NWs)/SA exhibited remarkable thermal stability(no size transform after being heat treated at 1000℃ for 1800 s)and tensile strength(0.75 MPa).These integrated properties made SFs/SiC_(NWs)/SA a promising candidate for highly efficient thermal insulators.
基金supported by the Basic Science Program(No.2022R1A2C2009700)through the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF)funded by the Ministry of Science and ICTthe Basic Science Research Capacity Enhancement Project(National Research Facilities and Equipment Center)through the Korea Ba-sic Science Institute funded by the Ministry of Education(No.2019R1A6C1010047)the Industrial Strategic Technology Development Program(No.20013248)through Korea Evaluation In-stitute of Industrial Technology funded by the Ministry of Trade,Industry&Energy(MOTIE,Korea).
文摘Thermally conductive papers with electrical insulation and mechanical robustness are essential for efficient thermal management in modern electronics.In this study,we introduced a metal ion-assisted interfacial crosslinking strategy to strengthen sugarfunctionalized graphene fluoride(SGF)and cellulose nanofibers(CNF)by hydrogen bonding and metal ion crosslinking that leads to simultaneous enhancements in thermal conductivity and mechanical properties.The facile sugarassisted ball-milling exfoliation method was developed to achieve the exfoliation of graphite fluoride and hydroxyl group functionalization on the surface of graphene fluoride.Thanks to the good dispersibility of the SGF sheets in water,the flexible SGF/CNF composite papers with hydrogen bonding were prepared via vacuum-assisted filtration.We introduced hydrogen bonding and metal ion crosslinking into SGF/CNF papers to obtain densely packed composite papers.Ca^(2+)or Al^(3+)ion-crosslinked SGF/CNF papers exhibited superior thermal and mechanical properties owing to hydrogen bonding and metal ion crosslinking.SGF/CNF-Ca^(2+)and SGF/CNF-Al^(3+)papers at 50 wt%of SGF yield in-plane thermal conductivities of 72.93 and 75.02 W m^(-1) K^(-1),and tensile strengths of 121.5 and 135.7 MPa,respectively.A thermal percolation value was observed at 12.6 vol%of SGF filler content.In addition,the SGF/CNF papers exhibited electrical insulation properties.These remarkable characteristics of the metal ion-crosslinked SGF/CNF papers are attributed to the densely packed structures caused by the strong interfacial interactions from hydrogen bonding as well as metal ion-crosslinking that could promote phonon transport.High-performance metal ion-crosslinked SGF/CNF papers with these fascinating advantages offer great potential for the thermal management of flexible electronics.
文摘BACKGROUND Elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery are at high risk for hypothermia-related complications.This study explores the efficacy of periop-erative composite insulation interventions in maintaining normothermia and reducing postoperative risks in this vulnerable group.AIM To evaluate the efficacy of perioperative composite insulation in older patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery.METHODS We selected 100 older patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer at Huzhou Central Hospital from September 2023 to April 2024.Using a random number table,patients were divided into a control group and inter-vention group of 50 patients each.After returning to the regular ward,the con-ventional group received traditional insulation intervention measures,while the intervention group received composite insulation nursing intervention.We ob-served and recorded postoperative blood pressure and heart rate changes,as well as postoperative anesthesia recovery time and incidence of complications.RESULTS The statistical results showed significant differences(P<0.05)in heart rate changes and systolic blood pressure between the two groups.There was a sig-nificant change in heart rate between the groups immediately after surgery and at 15 and 30 minutes after surgery(P<0.05).The heart rate and systolic blood pressure of the intervention group were significantly lower than those of the control group at 15 and 30 minutes after surgery(P<0.05).The rewarming time of the intervention group was shorter than that of the control group,and the overall incidence of postoperative complications was significantly lower than that of the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION For elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery,a composite insulation intervention during the perioperative period can maintain body temperature,reduce postoperative stress,and significantly reduce the incidence of hypothermia and related complications.
文摘This applied research seeks to explore feasible plant design for manufacturing insulation materials for construction projects using waste sheep fleece to address environmental issues related to wasted sheep wool and enhance the gross national product. The process starts by collecting low-cost sheep fleece from farms and processed via a production line, including scouring, plucking, carding, thermal bonding, and packing. The design process involves determining an optimal location, infrastructure, staffing, machinery, environmental impact, and utilities. A final economic analysis is undertaken to estimate the product’s cost, selling price, and break-even point based on the anticipated capital and operational costs. The plant is intended to process 6778 tons of sheep wool annually. The study suggests that Mafraq Industrial City is a perfect location for the plant, and purchasing land and structures is the optimal option. The projected capital cost is 1,416,679 USD, while the anticipated operational costs amount to 3,206,275 USD. Insulation material production is estimated to be 114,756 m3 annually. The material may be manufactured into 1 m wide, 0.05 m thick sheets for 2.02 USD per square meter. Thus, for a 10-year plant, a 2.47 USD/m2 selling price breaks even in one year.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant 52107014)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grants 2022M710981 and 2023T160171)Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation(Grant ZR2022QE187).
文摘In view of the requirements for high-performance epoxy resin(EP)enamelled wire insulating varnish in the rapidly developments of new energy vehicle drive motors,the problems of localised electric field concentration due to the unevenness electric field distribution has to be solved.In this paper,to enhance the corona resistance,insulation,and mechanical properties of EP insulating varnish,the function dielectric gradient structure consists of hyperbranched polyester(HBP)inner layer and silane coupling agent(KH-550)modified graphene oxide(GO)nonlinear layer are proposed.The results show that the introduction of HBP not only adjusts the dielectric constant of the insulating varnish but also increases the breakdown field strength significantly,and with the increase of K-GO,the nonlinear conductivity of K-GO/EP insulating varnish becomes more prominent.Simulation results show that the highest field strength of the structural insulating varnish with different dielectric constant gradients is reduced to 16.7 kV/mm,and the field strength difference of the inner layer is reduced to 0.3 kV/mm,which further reduces the electric field aberration of the neighbouring interfaces as compared to the pure EP insulating varnish.This work provides a new strategy for constructing the dielectric gradient structure to meet the high corona resistance and insulating varnish requirements of high-voltage motor enamelled wire insulating varnish in actual industrial production.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.12074213 and 11574108)the National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2022YFA1403103)+2 种基金the Major Basic Program of Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(Grant No.ZR2021ZD01)the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(Grant No.ZR2023MA082)the Project of Introduction and Cultivation for Young Innovative Talents in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province。
文摘Two-dimensional double-layer honeycomb(DLHC)materials are known for their diverse physical properties,but superconductivity has been a notably absent characteristic in this structure.We address this gap by investigating M_(2)N_(2)(M=Nb,Ta)with DLHC structure using first-principles calculations.Our results show that M_(2)N_(2)are stable and metallic,exhibiting superconducting behavior.Specifically,Nb_(2)N_(2)and Ta_(2)N_(2)display superconducting transition temperatures of 6.8 K and 8.8 K,respectively.Their electron-phonon coupling is predominantly driven by the coupling between metal d-orbitals and low-frequency metal-dominated vibration modes.Interestingly,two compounds also exhibit non-trivial band topology.Thus,M_(2)N_(2)are promising platforms for studying the interplay between topology and superconductivity and fill the gap in superconductivity research for DLHC materials.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52233003)the Department of Sichuan Province(No.2022JDJQ0023)。
文摘As the application scenarios of aerogels expand,higher requirements are put forward for the materials used to prepare aerogels.Due to the unique chemical structure,polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE)has excellent properties such as high-temperature resistance,hydrophobicity,and chemical stability.However,the PTFE aerogels are difficult to be molded due to the weak interaction between resin particles.In this work,poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO)was selected as the carrier to assist the PTFE aerogels molding.The pure PTFE aerogels were prepared by homogeneously mixing PTFE aqueous dispersion and PEO,freeze-drying,and high-temperature sintering.When the mass fraction of PTFE and PEO were appropriate,the porosity of PTFE aerogels exceeded 90%and had a hierarchical honeycomb structure.Results showed that the PTFE aerogels not only had excellent hydrophobicity but also possessed superior acoustic insulation,mechanical strength,thermal insulation,and heat resistance properties.Specifically,the water contact angle is about 140°.The noise reduction coefficient is 0.34 and the average sound absorption coefficient is greater than 88%in the frequency range of 2000-6400 Hz.Meanwhile,the thermal conductivity in the air is about 0.045 W/(m·K),and the initial thermal decomposition temperature is 450℃.More importantly,the PTFE aerogels had excellent temperature and corrosion resistance.Even after extremely thermal and chemical treatment,they remained unchanged porous structure as well as acoustic and thermal insulation properties,which exhibits great potential for application in many harsh environments.
基金financially supported by the Young Scientists Fund of National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.52303106)Research Grants Council of Hong Kong SAR(16200720)+3 种基金Environment and Conservation Fund of Hong Kong SAR(Project No.21/2022)Research Institute of Sports Science and Technology(Project No.P0043535)Research Institute of Advanced Manufacturing(Project No.P0046125)the start-up fund for new recruits of Poly U(Project No.P0038855 and P0038858)。
文摘Hygroscopic hydrogel is a promising evaporativecooling material for high-power passive daytime cooling with water self-regeneration.However,undesired solar and environmental heating makes it a challenge to maintain sub-ambient daytime cooling.While different strategies have been developed to mitigate heat gains,they inevitably sacrifice the evaporation and water regeneration due to highly coupled thermal and vapor transport.Here,an anisotropic synergistically performed insulation-radiation-evaporation(ASPIRE)cooler is developed by leveraging a dual-alignment structure both internal and external to the hydrogel for coordinated thermal and water transport.The ASPIRE cooler achieves an impressive average sub-ambient cooling temperature of~8.2℃ and a remarkable peak cooling power of 311 W m^(-2)under direct sunlight.Further examining the cooling mechanism reveals that the ASPIRE cooler reduces the solar and environmental heat gains without comprising the evaporation.Moreover,self-sustained multi-day cooling is possible with water self-regeneration at night under both clear and cloudy days.The synergistic design provides new insights toward high-power,sustainable,and all-weather passive cooling applications.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.51472220 and 51872265)Collaborative Innovation Major Special Project of Zhengzhou(No.20XTZX12025)+1 种基金Program for Leading Talents of Science and Technology in the Central Plain of China 2022(No.234200510002)Key Scientific Research Projects of Henan Higher Education Institutions(No.25A150016).
文摘Due to the global energy shortage,it has become essential to reduce energy consumption in the steelmaking process in order to promote the sustainable development of the metallurgical industry.The limitations of traditional ladle insulation materials were addressed by using kaolin as the main raw material in combination with foam-gelcasting technique for in-situ synthesis of porous anorthite thermal insulation materials.Concurrently,the effects of sintering temperature and time on the composition of the physical phases,microstructure and physical properties were elucidated.The results showed that anorthite was the main phase obtained in sintering temperature range of 1200-1450℃,and edges of anorthite grains were well defined and well developed,presenting a plate-like morphology,which significantly improved mechanical strength of sample.The best overall performance was achieved at a firing temperature of 1400℃ and a holding time of 3 h.Compared to conventional ladle thermal insulation materials,samples developed herein showed excellent performance with a porosity of 63.3%,a compressive strength of 14.51 MPa,and an ultra-low thermal conductivity of only 0.29 W/(m K).
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.11975261)。
文摘In order to support the physical research on the EAST tokamak,a new positive ion source with designed beam energy of 120 keV was proposed to be developed.Accelerator structure is one of the key components of the ion source.Through the finite element analysis method,the electrostatic analyses of insulators and grid plates were carried out,the material and structure parameters of insulators were determined.The maximum electric field around each insulator is about 4 kV/mm,and the maximum electric field between grids is about 14 kV/mm,which can meet the 120 keV withstand voltage holding.The insulation system for the positive ion source accelerator with 120 keV is designed,and the connection and basic parameters of insulators and support flanges are analyzed and determined.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52302110,52231007,52301236,12327804,T2321003,and 22088101)the Shanghai Pujiang Pro-gram(No.22PJ1401000)the“Start-up Fund”provided by Xi’an Technological University(No.0853/302020646).
文摘Three-dimensional(3D)carbon aerogel with high porosity and lightweight merit has emerged as an important high-performance electromagnetic(EM)absorption material.Despite great progress has been made,most reported 3D carbon aerogels suffer from non-renewability and high cost.Moreover,the randomly distributed porous structure restricts the effective regulation of microwave absorption.Herein,the sustainable shaddock peel cellulose(SPC)was adopted to construct an ultralight and orientated carbon aerogel through a facile bidirectional freezing technique and subsequently thermal treatment process.The resultant carbon aerogel is composed of ordered lamellar layers interconnected by supported bridges,forming a continuous 3D conductive network.Addition of a small amount of graphene oxides(GO)nanosheets in biomass aerogel enhances the interaction of SPC and promotes electron transmission along 3D conductive network.Through tuning the lamellar spacing of aerogel,the as-prepared carbon aerogel achieves a remarkable microwave absorption property with a strong reflection loss(RL)of−63.0 dB and broad effective absorption bandwidth(EAB)of 7.0 GHz under ultralow filler content of 4 wt.%.Moreover,this carbon aerogel also demonstrates excellent thermal insulation property,and is even comparable to commercial products.The present work paves the way for designing low-cost and sustainable biomass-derived carbon aerogel for lightweight and high-performance microwave absorption and infrared stealth function.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52175341)Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation(No.ZR2022JQ24)+2 种基金Funding Project of Jinan City's New Twenty Items for Colleges and Universities(No.202333038)Excellent Young Team Project of Central Universities(No.2023QNTD002)Qingdao Key Technology Research and Industrialization Demonstration Project(No.24-1-2-qljh-10-gx).
文摘Poly(vinylidene fluoride)(PVDF)foam has received widespread attention due to its high strength,and excellent combination of flame-retardancy,antibacterial performance,and chemical stability.However,the foaming ability of conventional PvDF is severely limited by its rapid crystallization kinetics and poor melt strength.Although ultra-high molecular weight PVDF(H-PVDF)theoretically offers prolonged melt elasticity favorable for foaming,the extremely high melt viscosity poses substantial processing challenges,and its foaming behavior has remained largely unexplored.To address these issues,this study proposes a novel fabrication strategy combining solvent casting with microcellular foaming to prepare H-PVDF foams.Dynamic mechanical analysis and differential scanning calorimetry reveal that extensive chain entanglements in H-PVDF impose constraints on crystallization and significantly enhance melt strength.By tuning the processing parameters,the distinctive foaming be-havior of H-PVDF under various conditions is systematically elucidated.Remarkably,a record-high expansion ratio of 55.6-fold is achieved,ac-companied by a highly uniform and fine cellular structure.The resulting H-PVDF foams exhibit a low thermal conductivity of 31.8 mW·m^(-1).K^(-1),while retaining excellent compressive strength,flame-retardancy,and hydrophobicity.These outstanding properties highlight the great potential of H-PVDF foams as the thermal insulation materials for applications in aerospace,energy infrastructure,and other extreme environments.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52077151)the State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment(No.EIPE23208)the Key Laboratory of Engineering Dielectrics and Its Application,Ministry of Education(No.KFM202203).
文摘This study focuses on the electrical properties and microstructure of polypropylene(PP)-based blends used for cable insulation in nuclear power plants(NPPs).The PP-based blend,comprising isotactic PP and propylene-based elastomer(PBE)at concentrations ranging from 0 to 50 wt%,underwent a melt blending process and subsequent cobalt-60 gamma-ray irradiation with doses ranging from 0 to 250 kGy.Electrical conductivity,trap distribution,and alternating(AC)breakdown strength were chosen to assess the insulation performance.These results indicate that the addition of PBE significantly improves the electrical properties of PP under irradiation.For PP,the electrical conductivity increased with irradiation,whereas the trap depth and breakdown strength decreased sharply.Conversely,for the blend,these changes initially exhibit opposite trends.When the irradiation was increased to 250 kGy,the AC breakdown strength of the blend improved by more than 21%compared to that of PP.The physical and chemical structures of the samples were investigated to explore the improvement mechanisms.The results offer insights into the design of new cable-insulation materials suitable for NPPs.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2021YFB3700103).
文摘The demand for anisotropic aerogels with excellent comprehensive properties in cutting-edge fields such as aerospace is growing.Based on the above background,a novel heterocyclic para-aramid nanofiber/reduced graphene oxide(HPAN/rGO)composite aerogel was prepared by combining electrospinning and unidirectional freeze-drying.The anisotropic HPAN/rGO composite aerogel exhibited a honeycomb morphology in the direction perpendicular to the growth of ice crystals,and a through-well structure of directed microchannels in the direction parallel to the temperature gradient.By varying the mass ratio of HPAN/rGO,a composite aerogel with an ultra-low density of 5.34-7.81 mg·cm^(-3) and an ultra-high porosity of 98%-99%was obtained.Benefiting from the anisotropic structure,the radial and axial thermal conductivities of HPAN/rGO-3 composite aerogel were 29.37 and 44.35 mW·m^(-1)·K^(-1),respectively.A combination of software simulation and experiments was used to analyze the effect of anisotropic structures on the thermal insulation properties of aerogels.Moreover,due to the intrinsic self-extinguishing properties of heterocyclic para-aramid and the protection of the graphene carbon layer,the composite aerogel also exhibits excellent flame retardancy properties,and its total heat release rate(THR)was only 5.8 kJ·g^(-1),which is far superior to many reported aerogels.Therefore,ultralight anisotropic HPAN/rGO composite aerogels with excellent high-temperature thermal insulation and flame retardancy properties have broad application prospects in complex environments such as aerospace.
基金financially supported by the National Science Foundation of China(Nos.52362024,22004106,51872238 and 21806129)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Nos.3102018zy045 and 3102019AX11)+1 种基金the Shaanxi Excellent Young Talents Support Program for Universities(No.202120006)the Key Laboratory of Icing and Anti/Deicing of CARDC(IADL20220401).
文摘As electromagnetic pollution escalates and protection demands diversify,there is an urgent requirement for versatile carbon foam materials capable of absorbing electromagnetic waves(EMWs).Furthermore,the concern about global warming and the depletion of petrochemical resources calls for facile and eco-friendly methods for the large-scale production of multi-functional and biodegradable carbon foams.Herein,cornstraw-derived carbon foams(CCFs)integrating EMW absorption,sound absorption,and heat insulation were prepared by a facile dual-template strategy.Benefiting from the dual-template effect of air bubbles and ice crystals,the obtained foam manifests an ultra-low density of 31 mg/cm^(3),large poros-ity of 0.85 and also super-broad absorption with an effective absorption bandwidth(EAB)of 7.18 GHz at 3.6 mm,even beyond most carbon-based composite foams.Moreover,abundant pores also endow the foam with good thermal insulation performance(as low as 0.041 W/(m K))and high sound absorp-tion coefficient(0.8 at 1250-6000 Hz),which are equivalent to commercial foams.The excellent EMW absorption performance originates from conduction loss produced by the three-dimensional(3D)inter-connected network structure and also interfacial polarization and multiple scattering induced by porous structure.Additionally,the abundant closed pores in foam prevent thermal convection and thus provide good thermal-insulation performance,yet the opening pores proffer excellent sound absorption through resonance and friction absorption.This study provides new insights into the green synthesis of multi-functional microwave absorbing foam and also supplies a new thermal-insulation material for exterior walls of buildings exposed to electromagnetic environment.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52236006,No.52176054)the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong province(2024A1515012033).
文摘Integrating phase change materials(PCM)into thermal insulation materials offers a novel approach to aerospace thermal protection.Herein,we used waste biomass as a template;by selecting the appropriate carbonization temperature,we obtained carbon aerogels(CCA)with extremely high porosity(95.8%)and high pore volume.After encapsulating PEG2000,we achieved high enthalpy(137.79 J g^(−1),91%of pure PEG2000)and low thermal conductivity(0.137 W(m·K)^(–1),45% of pure PEG2000).Thanks to the rich hierarchical nano-micro porous structure of CCA and the high latent heat of PEG2000,CCA/PEG exhibits excellent thermal insulation properties(under a heating temperature of 131℃,the material takes 1400 s to reach its maximum temperature and can be maintained below 65℃)and cycle performance.Additionally,irradiation destroyed the structure of CCA/PEG,leading to the degradation of PEG and the formation of other carbonyl-containing compounds,which decreased its latent heat(4.2%)and thermal conductivity(16.1%).However,the irradiation-resistant CCA,acting as a protective layer,minimizes the impact of irradiation on PEG2000.Instead,irradiation enhances the hierarchical porous structure of the material,ultimately improving its thermal insulation performance.CCA/PEG has potential application prospects in thermal protection and aerospace and is a strong competitor for high-efficiency thermal insulation materials.
