Green Synthesis
of Ant Nest-Inspired Superelastic
Silicone Aerogels
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Abstract
Green
synthesis of aerogels with high mechanical properties has
long remained a big challenge ever since Kistler’s report in
1931. Inspired by ant nests, we report a green method to synthesize
strong, superelastic and flexible silicone aerogels. The aerogels
are prepared by hydrolytic condensation of silanes with trace amounts
of catalyst and surfactant (0.094 mmol mol<sup>–1</sup>) followed
by drying the hydrogels at ambient pressure. The aerogels can quickly
recover their original shape after repeated compression and bending.
The aerogels can be functionalized via their Si–OH or vinyl
groups for specific purposes. We also extend the method for forming
aerogel coatings on diverse types of materials. Our study demonstrates
that green synthesis of superelastic aerogels is feasible and bioinspiration
is an efficient strategy