Hyperelastic Kevlar Nanofiber Aerogels as Robust Thermal Switches for Smart Thermal Management

• Published in: Advanced materials (Weinheim) Vol. 35; no. 3; pp. e2207638 - n/a
• Main Authors: Hu, Peiying, Wang, Jing, Zhang, Peigen, Wu, Fushuo, Cheng, Yingying, Wang, Jin, Sun, ZhengMing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.01.2023
• Subjects: Aerogels; Aramid fibers; Crosslinking; Density; Fatigue strength; Heat conductivity; Heat flux; Heat transfer; hyperelasticity; Kevlar (trademark); Kevlar nanofibers; Materials science; Nanofibers; Porosity; Switches; Thermal conductivity; Thermal insulation; Thermal management; Thermal response; Thermal simulation; Thermal stability; thermal switches; hyperelasticity; aerogels; Kevlar nanofibers; thermal management; thermal switches
• DOI: 10.1002/adma.202207638
• ISSN: 0935-9648

Aerogels, the lightest artificial solid materials characterized by low density and thermal conductivity, high porosity, and large specific surface area, have attracted increasing interest. Aerogels exhibit single‐mode thermal insulation properties regardless of the surrounding temperature. In this study, hyperelastic Kevlar nanofiber aerogels (HEKAs) are designed and fabricated by a slow‐proton‐release‐modulating gelation and thermoinduced crosslinking strategy. The method does not use crosslinking agents and endows the ultralow‐density (4.7 mg cm−3) HEKAs with low thermal conductivity (0.029 W m−1 K−1), high porosity (99.75%), high thermal stability (550 °C), and increased compression resilience (80%) and fatigue resistance. Proofs of the concept of the HEKAs acting as on–off thermal switches are demonstrated through experiments and simulations. The thermal switches exhibit a rapid thermal response speed of 0.73 °C s−1, high heat flux of 2044 J m−2 s−1, and switching ratio of 7.5. Heat dissipation can be reversibly switched on/off more than fifty times owing to the hyperelasticity and fatigue resistance of the HEKAs. This study suggests a route to fulfill the hyperelasticity of highly porous aerogels and to tailor heat flux on‐demand. Hyperelastic Kevlar nanofiber aerogels (HEKAs) are synthesized by a slow‐proton‐release‐modulating gelation and thermo‐induced crosslinking strategy. The HEKAs exhibit low thermal conductivity and ultralow density, high porosity, and compression resilience. The application of HEKAs as thermal switches is demonstrated, which exhibit high responsive speed and heat flux. The heat loss can be reversibly switched on/off over 50 times.