Mechanically Robust Nanoporous Polyimide/Silica Aerogels for Thermal Superinsulation of Aircraft

Polyimide aerogels (PIAs) are thermally insulating materials that possess various advantages, such as exceptionally high temperature resistance and low thermal conductivity, which make them great potential candidate materials to be applied in the area of thermal protection. However, under harsh mechanical stresses, the macro- and microscopic structural stability of PIAs may be compromised due to shrinkage/collapse, leading to performance degradation. Herein, we propose a homogeneous organic/inorganic hybrid formation strategy for constructing nanoporous polyimide/silica aerogels (PIAs-A) with exceptional mechanical strength and ultralow thermal conductivity. The results obtained indicate that PIAs-A have an optimal three-dimensional nanoporous network structure with a pore size distribution mainly within the range of 10–20 nm. Monitoring the temperature evolution of the material’s cold surface showed that it remained at a low temperature of 37.5 °C even when the material was placed against a hot surface of 150 °C. The residual mechanical strengths of the aerogels remained at a superior level (with strength degradation being less than 9%) after exposure to ultralow and high-temperature atmospheres. Furthermore, compressive stress values at 3% strain exceeded previously reported values for PIAs by 625 and 733% at −50 and 100 °C, respectively. Meanwhile, our aerogels displayed flame resistance even when exposed to a heat source of approximately 1200 °C, possessed favorable hydrophobic properties, and maintained dimensional stability up to 504 °C. The robust mechanical and thermal insulation properties of PIAs-A make them a promising substitute material for thermal superinsulation in aircraft.