Reinforcement Strategies to Improve the Mechanical Properties of Nanofibrous Aerogels: A Review

Nanofibrous aerogels (NFAs) are porous materials with high porosity and extremely low density assembled from lapped nanofibers. As a bridge between the microscopic nanoscale and the macroscopic world, NFAs have been widely used in related fields such as thermal insulation, separation, energy conversion, and tissue engineering. However, NFAs are severely limited in applications due to their inadequate mechanical properties. To ensure the structural integrity and performance stability of NFAs in applications, multiple reinforcement strategies are usually required to endow NFAs with suitable mechanical properties adapted to the application. In this review, we systematically study the research progress on the mechanical properties of NFAs in recent years, detailing the enhancement strategies on the mechanical properties of NFAs in four aspects: macroscopic morphology, microstructure, interactions between nanofibers, and nanofiber building units, and outlining their relevant applications. The work in this study aims to provide insights into further developing the mechanical properties of NFAs.