Xie Xiaoyu, Zhu Zilin, Meng Yu, Wang Lijia, Zhao Fuquan, Chen Lingqing, Jiang Lijie, Yan Ming, Zhou Xiaofan
Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, National Engineering Research Center of Biomaterials, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab of Pulp and Paper Science and Technology, College of Light Industry and Food, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
Gels. 2025 Jun 16;11(6):462. doi: 10.3390/gels11060462.
Despite their high porosity and wide applicability, silica xerogels face mechanical strength limitations for high-performance applications. This study presents an ambient-pressure sol-gel strategy utilizing calcium-glycerol synergy to produce robust xerogels with enhanced properties. Physicochemical analyses reveal that controlled Ca incorporation (optimal at 6 wt.%) accelerates gelation kinetics while establishing a hybrid network through ionic complexation and hydrogen bonding. The resulting xerogels achieve exceptional compressive strength (30.8 MPa) while maintaining uniform mesoporosity (50-90 nm pore size). Remarkably, the as-prepared silica xerogels demonstrate outstanding thermal insulation, maintaining a 220 °C temperature differential in 300 °C environments. These results prove that the ambient-pressure sol-gel strategy utilizing calcium-glycerol synergy can enhance the mechanical performance and thermal insulation performance of silica xerogels with the dual actions of Ca-induced network reinforcement via silanol coordination and glycerol-mediated stress relief during ambient drying. Overall, this work can offer a scalable, energy-efficient approach to produce high-performance silica xerogels with huge potential in building envelopes and aerospace systems.
尽管二氧化硅干凝胶具有高孔隙率和广泛的适用性，但在高性能应用中仍面临机械强度限制。本研究提出了一种常压溶胶 - 凝胶策略，利用钙 - 甘油协同作用制备具有增强性能的坚固干凝胶。物理化学分析表明，控制钙的掺入量（最佳为6 wt.%）可加速凝胶化动力学，同时通过离子络合和氢键形成混合网络。所得干凝胶具有出色的抗压强度（30.8 MPa），同时保持均匀的介孔率（孔径为50 - 90 nm）。值得注意的是，所制备的二氧化硅干凝胶表现出出色的隔热性能，在300°C环境中能保持220°C的温差。这些结果证明，利用钙 - 甘油协同作用的常压溶胶 - 凝胶策略可通过钙诱导的硅醇配位网络增强和环境干燥过程中甘油介导的应力释放双重作用，提高二氧化硅干凝胶的机械性能和隔热性能。总体而言，这项工作可为生产在建筑围护结构和航空航天系统中具有巨大潜力的高性能二氧化硅干凝胶提供一种可扩展、节能的方法。
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