Balancing thermal insulation and mechanical performance of anisotropic MXene foam enhanced by MOF hollow Framework

The unique typical pearl necklace-like structures of aerogels have presented opportunities for their application in extreme environments such as aerospace. However, this structure has posed limitations on their mechanical performance. In this study anisotropic MXene-Fe2O3-SiO2 nanoscale aerogels were synthesized by integrating a 3D thermal conduction scaffold of MXene, prepared through ice templating-directed freeze casting, with a SiO2 matrix using supercritical drying. This integration successfully achieved a balance between the exceptional insulation properties and high mechanical performance of the aerogel. The resulting aerogel exhibits an ultra-low thermal conductivity of 25 mW m−1 K−1, outstanding tensile properties (ε = 6.8 %, σ = 13.1 MPa), and excellent thermal stability, even when subjected to heating by a butane torch to 567.5 °C. The exceptional overall performance of this strategy makes it a promising candidate for high-temperature applications.