Superhydrophobic Silica Aerogels and Their Layer-by-Layer Structure for Thermal Management in Harsh Cold and Hot Environments

2D Nano-Quartz Aerogels Cloned via Chemical Vapor Deposition Enable High-Power Laser Scattering

Artificial synthesis of silica aerogel, either with crystalline quartz building blocks rather than present amorphous ones, or with greater than 0D building blocks rather than present nano-spherical ones, has become a century-old problem in light of its invention in 1931. Herein, 2D nano-quartz aerogels (QAs) with various configurations (e.g., ultrafine or hollow fiber, thin film, lightweight monolith, etc.) are all successfully cloned by chemical vapor deposition of silica source onto graphene aerogel skeletons to form ultrathin ceramic layers with carbon-leaving-induced crystallization during subsequent carbon etching. These QAs not only possess large amounts of graphene-like nanosheets with typical α-quartz phase, but exhibit ultralow density (as low as 1.5 mg cm-3), large specific surface area (up to 836 m2 g-1), superior thermal-insulation (∼20 mW m-1·K-1 in air), configuration-dependent flexibility, more than 600 °C higher thermal stability than traditional amorphous silica aerogel, and promising high-power (>102 W) light-scattering ability, indicating these QAs might be used as the distinct diffusers for high-power laser-driven lighting and high power laser shielding. This research might open numerous possibilities in developing quartz-like crystalline aerogels with 2D nano-building blocks.

High-Performance Phase Change Films Prepared by a Strategy for Thermal Management at Interfaces and Environmental Camouflage

With the development of electronic equipment and the advancement of environmental camouflage technology, higher requirements are placed on the flexibility, thermal conductivity, and heat storage capacity of phase change films. This work fabricated a high-performance dual-encapsulation composite phase change film through the employment of Pickering emulsion polymerization and sol-gel techniques, incorporating n-octadecane (n-OD), liquid metal gallium (Ga), and poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO). Phase change microcapsules (PM) serve to prevent leakage during phase changes, maintain high levels of enthalpy, and enhance the dispersion of n-OD in matrices, as well as improve adhesion at interfaces. It is possible to achieve excellent thermal conductivity with only a small amount of modified Ga (MGa) by chitosan quaternary ammonium salt in the confined network since the material has a smaller size and a more uniform distribution. Owing to its distinctive structural design and modification strategy, the composite phase change film (MGa/PM/PBO) manifests outstanding mechanical properties (featuring a tensile strength of 7.0 MPa), remarkable thermal conductivity (9.4752 W m-1 K-1) in-plane), and excellent heat storage capacity (100.9 J g-1). It harbors significant potential for application in the thermal management of electronic devices and in environmental camouflage.

Direct Ink Writing Additive Manufacturing of Silica Aerogels

Silica aerogels (SAs) have garnered significant attention due to their high porosity, low density, hydrophobic properties, low thermal conductivity, and optical transparency. The traditional method for producing SAs, known as "sol-gel" technology, involves precursor preparation, aging, and drying processes. However, aerogels produced through this method often exhibit drawbacks such as poor processability and low precision, which prevent them from fully leveraging their potential properties, including catalysis, adsorption, insulation, and sensing. In contrast, direct ink writing (DIW) technology offers a promising avenue for creating functional structures from SAs. This technique enables the production of inks with shear-thinning behavior, facilitating the high-precision printing of complex SA structures. This review summarizes the advancements in DIW additive manufacturing (AM) of SAs and the challenges currently faced in this field. Briefly, we first introduce the ink preparation, 3D printing process, drying and heat treatment suitable for DIW 3D printing of silica aerogels, followed by the discussion of the current state of research and key challenges of DIW 3D printing SAs.

Pd-Modified Microneedle Array Sensor Integration with Deep Learning for Predicting Silica Aerogel Properties in Real Time

The continuous global effort to predict material properties through artificial intelligence has predominantly focused on utilizing material stoichiometry or structures in deep learning models. This study aims to predict material properties using electrochemical impedance data, along with frequency and time parameters, that can be obtained during processing stages. The target material, silica aerogel, is widely recognized for its lightweight structure and excellent insulating properties, which are attributed to its large surface area and pore size. However, production is often delayed due to the prolonged aging process. Real-time prediction of material properties during processing can significantly enhance process optimization and monitoring. In this study, we developed a system to predict the physical properties of silica aerogel, specifically pore diameter, pore volume, and surface area. This system integrates a 3 × 3 array Pd/Au sensor, which exhibits high sensitivity to varying pH levels during aerogel synthesis and is capable of acquiring a large data set (impedance, frequency, time) in real-time. The collected data is then processed through a deep neural network algorithm. Because the system is trained with data obtained during the processing stage, it enables real-time predictions of the critical properties of silica aerogel, thus facilitating process optimization and monitoring. The final performance evaluation demonstrated an optimal alignment between true and predicted values for silica aerogel properties, with a mean absolute percentage error of approximately 0.9%. This approach holds great promise for significantly improving the efficiency and effectiveness of silica aerogel production by providing accurate real-time predictions.

Sandwich-Structured Fluorinated Polyimide Aerogel/Paraffin Phase-Change Composites Simultaneously Enables Gradient Thermal Protection and Electromagnetic Wave Transmission

There is an emerging requirement of advanced functional materials for simultaneous thermal protection and electromagnetic wave-transparent transmission applications. A novel polyimide (PI) aerogel-based sandwich-structural composite is developed to meet such a requirement in this study. This composite is based on a unidirectional fluorinated PI (FPI) aerogel as a lower layer, a nondirectional conventional PI aerogel as a middle layer, and a nondirectional FPI aerogel/paraffin phase-change composite as an upper layer. The lower layer exhibits a unique unidirectional porous microstructure and an ultralow dielectric constant of 1.04. The upper layer possesses a dynamical temperature regulation capability thanks to its loaded paraffin having a high latent heat capacity of 242.7 J g-1. The presence of the nondirectional PI aerogel middle layer can effectively prevent against the leakage of paraffin from the upper layer to the surface of the composite. Through a rational integration of three functional layers, the developed sandwich-structured composite not only can provide gradient thermal protection for hot objects over a long period but also exhibits an excellent wave-transparent capability to establish communication between two electromagnetically shielded electronic devices. With such prominent thermal insulation and wave-transparent functions, the sandwich-structured composite exhibits great potential for specific applications in aircraft, spacecraft, radar systems, and satellite communication.

Recent Advances in Next-Generation Textiles

Textiles have played a pivotal role in human development, evolving from basic fibers into sophisticated, multifunctional materials. Advances in material science, nanotechnology, and electronics have propelled next-generation textiles beyond traditional functionalities, unlocking innovative possibilities for diverse applications. Thermal management textiles incorporate ultralight, ultrathin insulating layers and adaptive cooling technologies, optimizing temperature regulation in dynamic and extreme environments. Moisture management textiles utilize advanced structures for unidirectional transport and breathable membranes, ensuring exceptional comfort in activewear and outdoor gear. Protective textiles exhibit enhanced features, including antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-toxic gas, heat-resistant, and radiation-shielding capabilities, providing high-performance solutions for healthcare, defense, and hazardous industries. Interactive textiles integrate sensors for monitoring physical, chemical, and electrophysiological parameters, enabling real-time data collection and responses to various environmental and user-generated stimuli. Energy textiles leverage triboelectric, piezoelectric, and hygroelectric effects to improve energy harvesting and storage in wearable devices. Luminous display textiles, including electroluminescent and fiber optic systems, enable dynamic visual applications in fashion and communication. These advancements position next-generation textiles at the forefront of materials science, significantly expanding their potential across a wide range of applications.

Foamy Melamine Resin-Silica Aerogel Composite-Derived Thermal Insulation Coating

A novel class of SiO2 aerogel-based resin composite with a self-formed foamy structure and an extremely low thermal conductivity, as well as excellent fire resistance, was fabricated via a room temperature and atmospheric pressure route. The self-formed foamy structure was achieved by utilizing SiO2 aerogel particles not only as a thermal insulative functional additive filler but also as nano-sized solid particles in a Picking emulsion system, adjusting the surface tension as a stabilizer at the interface between the two immiscible phases (liquid and air in this case). The results of foamy structure analyses via scanning electron microscopy, micro-CT, and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms validate the successful generation of a micro-scale porous structure with the enhancement of the aerogel nano-scale solid particles at the wall as a stabilizer. A combination of multiscale pores imbues the aerogel-based foamy coating with a low thermal conductivity, as well as a high cohesive strength. For the foamy coating studied, with variable emulsion/foaming agent/aerogel ratios of 1/2/x, the thermal conductivity decreases from 0.141 to 0.031 W/m·K, and the cohesive strength increases from being non-detectable to 0.41 MPa. The temperature difference, which is a direct indicator of the thermal insulation behavior of the foamy coating, can increase from 12.1 °C to 48.6 °C under an 80 °C hot plate.

Flexible Phase-Change Films with Exceptional Water and Temperature Resistance for Smart Personal Thermal Protection

Personal thermal protection is crucial in extreme temperature environments, and the rising global temperatures present significant challenges in managing heat stress for individuals. Phase-change materials (PCMs) can absorb or release heat during phase transition to maintain a constant temperature, thus making them ideal innovative thermal protection materials. However, it is currently a bottleneck issue for using PCMs in wearable thermal protection systems due to a balance between the mechanical properties, latent heat, temperature resistance, and rapid response on demand. Herein, a flexible composite PCM film is developed and demonstrated by incorporating superhydrophobic silica aerogel particles (SSAPs) in a cross-linked poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) network. The cross-linked network effectively addresses the inherent solid-liquid phase-change issue of PCMs, providing self-support, high flexibility, and heat resistance. Meanwhile, the SSAP endows water resistance and synergistic thermal insulation properties to the PCM film. When the SSAP content is adjusted, a latent heat range of 113.1-146.9 J g-1 is achieved. Despite a lower latent heat of the PCM film than pure PEG films, a temperature drop of 13.8 °C is achieved at 80 °C, marking a 2.65-fold enhancement. Interestingly, the heating rate of the PCM film is decelerated by 275% compared to that of pure PEG cross-linked networks. This study not only proposes a strategy for preparing phase-change films with flexibility and temperature resistance but also demonstrates their feasibility of achieving lower latent heat while paradoxically enhancing thermal regulation capability.

Flexible Silk Fibroin-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerators with Thermal Management Capabilities for Temperature Regulation and Self-Powered Monitoring

Flexible triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are highly advantageous for human-centered monitoring due to their self-sustaining energy and high output performance. However, temperature fluctuations that limit thermal comfort have hindered their practical advancement. In this study, flexible titanium dioxide-silk fibroin@phase change microcapsule nanofiber films (TiO2-SF@PCM NFs) were successfully developed using an efficient electro-blown spinning (EBS) technique, with exceptional triboelectric output and superior temperature regulation capabilities. Our design achieved cooling effects of approximately 10 °C and provided thermal insulation of about 2.2 °C. Notably, applying the TiO2-SF@PCM NFs to a model car produced an impressive cooling effect of 22 °C. Furthermore, a single-electrode triboelectric sensor based on TiO2-SF@PCM NFs achieved a peak output power of ∼272 μW/m2 and exceptional stability over 1000 output cycles. This study presents a promising strategy for the scalable production of flexible composite nanofiber films, effective in both temperature regulation and self-powered monitoring, highlighting their potential for use as thermal comfort sensors.

Investigation on Mechanical Shock Wave Protective and Thermodynamic Properties of SiO2-Aerogel-Modified Polyurea

In recent years, industrial explosion accidents are frequent, causing serious negative influences on society. Mechanical shock waves, as a typical destructive factor in explosion accidents, can cause serious personal injury and building damage. In addition, actual explosion accidents usually involve heat sources, harming protective materials and personnel. In this study, we designed SiO2-aerogel-modified polyurea and studied the effects of manufacturing pressure process and the concentration of SiO2 aerogel on the mechanical shock wave mitigation and thermodynamic properties of the modified polyurea. The results show that the addition of SiO2 aerogel can improve the mechanical shock wave mitigation performance of polyurea. The maximum peak overpressure and acceleration mitigation rate of the material has reached 17.84% and 62.21%, respectively. The addition of SiO2 aerogel helps to reduce the thermal conductivity of materials and improve the thermal insulation performance, and the atmospheric pressure process is more conducive to improving the thermal insulation performance of materials. The minimum thermal conductivity of the material has reached 0.14174 W/m·K, which is 45.65% lower than that of pure polyurea. The addition of SiO2 aerogel has different effects on the limiting oxygen index (LOI) of polyurea. Using a vacuum process, the LOI value increased with the increase in the SiO2 aerogel concentration, while using atmospheric pressure, the LOI value increased but is always lower than 21% and lower than pure polyurea. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the addition of SiO2 aerogel under the vacuum process was helpful to improve the thermal stability of materials. However, atmospheric pressure would disrupt the thermal stability, manifested in a decrease in peak degradation temperature, an increase in peak degradation rate, and a decrease in residual mass.

Reversible-gel-assisted, ambient-pressure-dried, multifunctional, flame-retardant biomass aerogels with smart high-strength-elasticity transformation

Bio-based aerogels, which are poised as compelling thermal insulators, demand intricate synthesis procedures and have limited durability under harsh conditions. The integration of smart stimuli-response transitions in biomass aerogels holds promise as a solution, yet remains a challenge. Here, we introduce a pioneering strategy that employs reversible-gel-assisted ambient-pressure drying without organic solvents to craft multifunctional bio-based aerogels. By exploiting the thermally reversible gelling propensity of select biomasses, we anchor emulsified bubbles within cross-linked hydrogels, circumventing surface tension issues during mild drying. The resultant aerogels feature a robust porous matrix that is imbued with stable bubbles, yielding low thermal conductivity, high flame retardancy and robust resistance to diverse rigors. This innovative approach facilitates a paradigm shift in intelligent fire protection in which aerogels transition from robust to flexible in response to water stimuli, effectively shielding against thermal hazards and external forces. This work opens up a facile, eco-friendly and mild way to fabricate advanced biomass aerogels with stimuli-responsive transformation.

Nonflammable superhydrophobic passive cooling Cellulose-CaCO3 film

Energy consumption from air cooling systems in summer, water scarcity in hot regions, and the functional reusability of waste paper are emerging environmental problems. Finding solutions to these problems simultaneously remains a significant challenge. Herein, a superhydrophobic passive cooling Cellulose-CaCO3 film with hierarchical nano-sheets was fabricated to realize daytime radiative cooling with a temperature drop of 15-20 °C in summer and water harvesting with harvesting efficiency of 387 mg cm-2h-1 bd utilization of recycled waste paper. The superhydrophobic Cellulose-CaCO3 film demonstrates its self-cleaning properties against inorganic and organic pollutants. Furthermore, the superhydrophobicity of the film was maintained after base/acid corrosions, dynamic water flushing, and thermal treatment at 100 °C for 7 h, exhibiting good durability of the superhydrophobicity. Moreover, the superhydrophobic Cellulose-CaCO3 film is nonflammable after exposure to fire combustion for 1 min. In addition to waste paper, waste maize straws, and pasteboards were also collected to produce superhydrophobic passive cooling films. Results indicate that the above three cellulose-based raw materials can be well used to prepare durable superhydrophobic passive cooling materials. Environmental toxicology assessments confirm the safety of the material. This study not only provides a protocol for preparing superhydrophobic materials; but also demonstrates their potential for passive cooling and water harvesting.

Development of Microparticle Implanted PVDF-HF Polymer Coating on Building Material for Daytime Radiative Cooling

A passive cooling method with great potential to lower space-cooling costs, counteract the urban heat island effect, and slow down worldwide warming is radiant cooling. The solutions available frequently require complex layered structures, costly products, or a reflective layer of metal to accomplish daytime radiative cooling, which restricts their applications in many avenues. Furthermore, single-layer paints have been used in attempts to accomplish passive daytime radiative cooling, but these usually require a compact coating or only exhibit limited cooling in daytime. In our study, we investigated and evaluated in daytime the surrounding cooling outcome with aid of one layer coating composed of BaSO4/TiO2 microparticles in various concentrations implanted in the PVDF-HF polymers on a concrete substrate. The 30% BaSO4/TiO2 microparticle in the PVDF-HF coating shows less solar absorbance and excessive emissivity. The value of solar reflectance is improved by employing micro-pores in the structure of PVDF polymers without noticeable effect on thermal emissivity. The 30% BaSO4/TiO2/PVDF coating is accountable for the hydrophobicity and proportionate solar reflection in the UV band, resulting in efficient solar reflectivity of about 95.0%, with emissivity of 95.1% and hydrophobicity exhibiting a 117.1° water contact angle. Also, the developed coating could cool to about 5.1 °C and 3.9 °C below the surrounding temperature beneath the average solar irradiance of 900 W/m-2. Finally, the results demonstrate that the 30% BaSO4/TiO2/PVDF-HF microparticle coating illustrates a typical figure of merit of 0.60 and is also capable of delivering outstanding dependability and harmony with the manufacturing process.

Wearable Aerogels for Personal Thermal Management and Smart Devices

Extreme climates have become frequent nowadays, causing increased heat stress in human daily life. Personal thermal management (PTM), a technology that controls the human body's microenvironment, has become a promising strategy to address heat stress. While effective in ordinary environments, traditional high-performance fibers, such as ultrafine, porous, highly thermally conductive, and phase change materials, fall short when dealing with harsh conditions or large temperature fluctuations. Aerogels, a third-generation superinsulation material, have garnered extensive attention among researchers for their thermal management applications in building energy conservation, transportation, and aerospace, attributed to their extremely low densities and thermal conductivity. While aerogels have historically faced challenges related to weak mechanical strength and limited secondary processing capacity, recent advancements have witnessed notable progress in the development of wearable aerogels for PTM. This progress underscores their potential applications within extremely harsh environments, serving as self-powered smart devices and sensors. This Review offers a timely overview of wearable aerogels and their PTM applications with a particular focus on their wearability and suitability. Finally, the discussion classifies five types of PTM applications based on aerogel function: thermal insulation, heating, cooling, adaptive regulation (involving thermal insulation, heating, and cooling), and utilization of aerogels as wearable smart devices.

Anti-Environmental Aging Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling

Passive daytime radiative cooling technology presents a sustainable solution for combating global warming and accompanying extreme weather, with great potential for diverse applications. The key characteristics of this cooling technology are the ability to reflect most sunlight and radiate heat through the atmospheric transparency window. However, the required high solar reflectance is easily affected by environmental aging, rendering the cooling ineffective. In recent years, significant advancements have been made in understanding the failure mechanisms, design strategies, and manufacturing technologies of daytime radiative cooling. Herein, a critical review on anti-environmental aging passive daytime radiative cooling with the goal of advancing their commercial applications is presented. It is first introduced the optical mechanisms and optimization principles of radiative cooling, which serve as a basis for further endowing environmental durability. Then the environmental aging conditions of passive daytime radiative cooling, mainly focusing on UV exposure, thermal aging, surface contamination and chemical corrosion are discussed. Furthermore, the developments of anti-environmental aging passive daytime radiative cooling materials, including design strategies, fabrication techniques, structures, and performances, are reviewed and classified for the first time. Last but not the least, the remaining open challenges and the insights are presented for the further promotion of the commercialization progress.

Highly Optically Selective and Thermally Insulating Porous Calcium Silicate Composite SiO2 Aerogel Coating for Daytime Radiative Cooling

Daytime radiative cooling technology offers a low-carbon, environmentally friendly, and nonpower-consuming approach to realize building energy conservation. It is important to design materials with high solar reflectivity and high infrared emissivity in atmospheric windows. Herein, a porous calcium silicate composite SiO2 aerogel water-borne coating with strong passive radiative cooling and high thermal insulation properties is proposed, which shows an exceptional solar reflectance of 94%, high sky window emissivity of 96%, and 0.0854 W/m·K thermal conductivity. On the SiO2/CaSiO3 radiative cooling coating (SiO2-CS-coating), a strategy is proposed to enhance the atmospheric window emissivity by lattice resonance, which is attributed to the eight-membered ring structure of porous calcium silicate, thereby increasing the atmospheric window emissivity. In the daytime test (solar irradiance 900W/m2, ambient temperature 43 °C, wind speed 0.53 m/s, humidity 25%), the temperature inside the box can achieve a cooling temperature of 13 °C lower than that of the environment, which is 30 °C, and the theoretical cooling power is 96 W/m2. Compared with the commercial white coating, SiO2-CS-coating can save 70 kW·h of electric energy in 1 month, and the energy consumption is reduced by 36%. The work provides a scalable, widely applicable radiative-cooling coating for building comfort, which can greatly reduce indoor temperatures and is suitable for building surfaces.

Layer-by-layer designer nanoarchitectonics for physical and chemical communications in functional materials

Nanoarchitectonics, as a post-nanotechnology concept, constructs functional materials and structures using nanounits of atoms, molecules, and nanomaterials as materials. With the concept of nanoarchitectonics, asymmetric structures, and hierarchical organization, rather than mere assembly and organization of structures, can be produced, where rational physical and chemical communications will lead to the development of more advanced functional materials. Layer-by-layer assembly can be a powerful tool for this purpose, as exemplified in this feature paper. This feature article explores the possibility of constructing advanced functional systems based on recent examples of layer-by-layer assembly. We will illustrate both the development of more basic methods and more advanced nanoarchitectonics systems aiming towards practical applications. Specifically, the following sections will provide examples of (i) advancement in basics and methods, (ii) physico-chemical aspects and applications, (iii) bio-chemical aspects and applications, and (iv) bio-medical applications. It can be concluded that materials nanoarchitectonics based on layer-by-layer assembly is a useful method for assembling asymmetric structures and hierarchical organization, and is a powerful technique for developing functions through physical and chemical communication.

Dual-functional thermal management textiles for dynamic temperature regulation based on ultra-stretchable spiral conductive composite yarn with 500%-strain thermal stability and durability

Next-generation personal thermal management (PTM) textiles for daily routine environments are attracting extensive attention. However, challenges remain in developing multifunctional PTM textiles that are comfortable to wear, have motion stability and environmental adaptability. Herein, a novel design for fabricating a sandwich-structure PTM textile based on an ultra-stretchable spiral conductive composite yarn (SCCY) with strain-electric stability is proposed. An SCCY composed of carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP)/waterborne polyurethane (WPU) and a drawn textured yarn (DTY) is fabricated through a dip-twisting and shaping process. The PVP not only facilitates the interfacial bonding between CNTs and yarn, but also constructs strong hydrogen bond interactions with WPU, resulting in improved structure stability and robust electrical performance. Benefitting from the optimized spiral and composite structure, the SCCY exhibits a fast thermal response (130 °C within 8 s), long-term durability (1500 cycles), and superior thermal stability under large deformation (ΔT/T0 ≈ 8.4%, under 500%). By assembling a stretchable electrothermal fabric based on SCCYs with an elastic fabric and thermochromic layer, temperature visualization and dynamic temperature regulation are integrated into the textile. This multifunctional PTM textile not only features dual thermal regulation modes of radiant cooling and Joule heating, but also maintains flexibility, breathability, and excellent stretchability, which provides broad application prospects in next-generation wearable devices.

Robust and Flame-Retardant Zylon Aerogel Fibers for Wearable Thermal Insulation and Sensing in Harsh Environment

The exceptional lightweight, highly porous, and insulating properties of aerogel fibers make them ideal for thermal insulation. However, current aerogel fibers face limitations due to their low resistance to harsh environments and a lack of intelligent responses. Herein, a universal strategy for creating polymer aerogel fibers using crosslinked nanofiber building blocks is proposed. This approach combines controlled proton absorption gelation spinning with a heat-induced crosslinking process. As a proof-of-concept, Zylon aerogel fibers that exhibited robust thermal stability (up to 650 °C), high flame retardancy (limiting oxygen index of 54.2%), and extreme chemical resistance are designed and synthesized. These fibers possess high porosity (98.6%), high breaking strength (8.6 MPa), and low thermal conductivity (0.036 W m-1 K-1 ). These aerogel fibers can be knotted or woven into textiles, utilized in harsh environments (-196-400 °C), and demonstrate sensitive self-powered sensing capabilities. This method of developing aerogel fibers expands the applications of high-performance polymer fibers and holds great potential for future applications in wearable smart protective fabrics.

Preparation and application of UPLC silica microsphere stationary phase:A review

In this review, microspheres for ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) were reviewed in accordance with the literature in recent years. As people's demands for chromatography are becoming more and more sophisticated, the preparation and application of UPLC stationary phases have become the focus of researchers in this field. This new analytical separation science not only maintains the practicality and principle of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), but also improves the step function of chromatographic performance. The review presents the morphology of four types of sub-2 μm silica microspheres that have been used in UPLC, including non-porous silica microspheres (NPSMs), mesoporous silica microspheres (MPSMs), hollow silica microspheres (HSMs) and core-shell silica microspheres (CSSMs). The preparation, pore control and modification methods of different microspheres are introduced in the review, and then the applications of UPLC in drug analysis and separation, environmental monitoring, and separation of macromolecular proteins was presented. Finally, a brief overview of the existing challenges in the preparation of sub-2 μm microspheres, which required further research and development, was given.

Ultraflexible, cost-effective and scalable polymer-based phase change composites via chemical cross-linking for wearable thermal management

Phase change materials (PCMs) offer great potential for realizing zero-energy thermal management due to superior thermal storage and stable phase-change temperatures. However, liquid leakage and solid rigidity of PCMs are long-standing challenges for PCM-based wearable thermal regulation. Here, we report a facile and cost-effective chemical cross-linking strategy to develop ultraflexible polymer-based phase change composites with a dual 3D crosslinked network of olefin block copolymers (OBC) and styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) in paraffin wax (PW). The C-C bond-enhanced OBC-SEBS networks synergistically improve the mechanical, thermal, and leakage-proof properties of PW@OBC-SEBS. Notably, the proposed peroxide-initiated chemical cross-linking method overcomes the limitations of conventional physical blending methods and thus can be applicable across diverse polymer matrices. We further demonstrate a portable and flexible PW@OBC-SEBS module that maintains a comfortable temperature range of 39-42 °C for personal thermotherapy. Our work provides a promising route to fabricate scalable polymer-based phase change composite for wearable thermal management.

A Hierarchically Nanofibrous Self-Cleaning Textile for Efficient Personal Thermal Management in Severe Hot and Cold Environments

Climate change has recently caused more and more severe temperatures, inducing a growing demand for personal thermal management at outdoors. However, designing textiles that can achieve personal thermoregulation without energy consumption in severely hot and cold environments remains a huge challenge. Herein, a hierarchically nanofibrous (HNF) textile with improved thermal insulation and radiative thermal management functions is fabricated for efficient personal thermal management in severe temperatures. The textile consists of a radiative cooling layer, an intermediate thermal insulation layer, and a radiative heating layer, wherein the porous lignocellulose aerogel membrane (LCAM) as intermediate layer has low thermal conductivity (0.0366 W·m-1·K-1), ensuring less heat loss in cold weather and blocking external heat in hot weather. The introduction of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) increases the thermal emissivity (90.4%) of the radiative cooling layer in the atmospheric window and also endows it with a perfect self-cleaning performance. Solar absorptivity (80.1%) of the radiative heating layer is dramatically increased by adding only 0.05 wt% of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into polyacrylonitrile. An outdoor test demonstrates that the HNF textile can achieve a temperature drop of 7.2 °C compared with white cotton in a hot environment and can be as high as 12.2 °C warmer than black cotton in a cold environment. In addition, the HNF textile possesses excellent moisture permeability, breathability, and directional perspiration performances, making it promising for personal thermal management in severely hot and cold environments.

BaSO4/TiO2 Microparticle Embedded in Polyvinylidene Fluoride-Co-Hexafluoropropylene/Polytetrafluoroethylene Polymer Film for Daytime Radiative Cooling

Radiative cooling is a new large-scale cooling technology with the promise of lowering costs and decreasing global warning. Currently, daytime radiative cooling is achieved via the application of reflective metal layers and complicated multilayer structures, limiting its application on a massive scale. In our research, we explored and tested the daytime subambient cooling effect with the help of single-layer films consisting of BaSO4, TiO2, and BaSO4/TiO2 microparticles embedded in PVDF/PTFE polymers. The film, consisting of BaSO4/TiO2 microparticles, offers a low solar absorbance and high atmospheric window emissivity. The solar reflectance is enhanced by micropores in the PVDF/PTFE polymers, without any significant influence on the thermal emissivity. The BaSO4/TiO2/PVDF/PTFE microparticle film attains 0.97 solar reflectance and 0.95 high sky-window emissivity when the broadly distributed pore size reaches 180 nm. Our field test demonstrated that the single-layer BaSO4/TiO2/PVDF/PTFE microparticle film achieved a temperature 5.2 °C below the ambient temperature and accomplished a cooling power of 74 W/m2. Also, the results show that, when the humidity rises from 33% to 38% at 12:30 pm, it hinders the cooling of the body surface and lowers the cooling effect to 8%.

A review of self-cleaning coatings for solar photovoltaic systems: theory, materials, preparation, and applications

Photovoltaic power generation is developing rapidly with the approval of The Paris Agreement in 2015. However, there are many dust deposition problems that occur in desert and plateau areas. Traditional cleaning methods such as manual cleaning and mechanical cleaning are unstable and produce a large economic burden. Therefore, self-cleaning coatings, which have unique mechanisms and high adaptability, have attracted wide attention in the photovoltaic industry and scientific community, especially the super-hydrophobic and super-hydrophilic coatings. The paper systematically reviewed the theory, materials, preparation, and applications of the super-hydrophobic and super-hydrophilic coatings on the photovoltaic modules. Super-hydrophobic materials such as organosilicon compounds, fluorinated polymers, and some inorganic materials are popular. TiO2 is widely used to prepare super-hydrophilic coatings on glass covers of photovoltaic panels due to its good photocatalytic activity. CVD-based surface treatment is suitable for preparing photovoltaic self-cleaning surfaces. These methods prepare self-cleaning surfaces by reacting gaseous substances with hot surfaces and depositing them on the surface. They are efficient but difficult to control accuracy. When applied to photovoltaic modules, it is crucial to consider the factors such as self-cleaning, transparency, anti-reflection, anti-icing, and durability. In future research, it is significant to improve the transparency, durability, and self-cleaning properties of coatings.

Hydrophobic aerogel-modified hemostatic gauze with thermal management performance

Current hemostatic agents or dressings are not efficient under extremely hot and cold environments due to deterioration of active ingredients, water evaporation and ice crystal growth. To address these challenges, we engineered a biocompatible hemostatic system with thermoregulatory properties for harsh conditions by combining the asymmetric wetting nano-silica aerogel coated-gauze (AWNSA@G) with a layer-by-layer (LBL) structure. Our AWNSA@G was a dressing with a tunable wettability prepared by spraying the hydrophobic nano-silica aerogel onto the gauze from different distances. The hemostatic time and blood loss of the AWNSA@G were 5.1 and 6.9 times lower than normal gauze in rat's injured femoral artery model. Moreover, the modified gauze was torn off after hemostasis without rebleeding, approximately 23.8 times of peak peeling force lower than normal gauze. For the LBL structure, consisting of the nano-silica aerogel layer and a n-octadecane phase change material layer, in both hot (70 °C) and cold (-27 °C) environments, exhibited dual-functional thermal management and maintained a stable internal temperature. We further verified our composite presented superior blood coagulation effect in extreme environments due to the LBL structure, the pro-coagulant properties of nano-silica aerogel and unidirectional fluid pumping of AWNSA@G. Our work, therefore, shows great hemostasis potential under normal and extreme temperature environments.

Eco-Friendly Fabrication of Highly Stable Silica Aerogel Microspheres with Core-Shell Structure

Silica aerogel microspheres show great potential in various fields as fillings in different materials. It is important to diversify and optimize the fabrication methodology for silica aerogel microspheres (SAMS). This paper presents an eco-friendly synthetic technique for producing functional silica aerogel microspheres with a core-shell structure. Mixing silica sol with commercial silicone oil containing olefin polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) resulted in a homogeneous emulsion with silica sol droplets dispersed in the oil. After gelation, the droplets were transformed into silica hydrogel or alcogel microspheres and coated with the polymerization of the olefin groups. Microspheres with silica aerogel as their core and polydimethylsiloxane as their shell were obtained after separation and drying. The sphere size distribution was regulated by controlling the emulsion process. The surface hydrophobicity was enhanced by grafting methyl groups onto the shell. The obtained silica aerogel microspheres have low thermal conductivity, high hydrophobicity, and excellent stability. The synthetic technique reported here is expected to be beneficial for the development of highly robust silica aerogel material.

Engineering Structural Janus MXene-nanofibrils Aerogels for Season-Adaptive Radiative Thermal Regulation

Aerogels have provided a significant platform for passive radiation-enabled thermal regulation, arousing extensive interest due to their capabilities of radiative cooling or heating. However, there still remains challenge of developing functionally integrated aerogels for sustainable thermal regulation in both hot and cold environment. Here, Janus structured MXene-nanofibrils aerogel (JMNA) is rationally designed via a facile and efficient way. The achieved aerogel presents the characteristic of high porosity (≈98.2%), good mechanical strength (tensile stress of ≈2 MPa, compressive stress of ≈115 kPa), and macroscopic shaping property. Based on the asymmetric structure, the JMNA with switchable functional layers can alternatively enable passive radiative heating and cooling in winter and summer, respectively. As a proof of concept, JMNA can function as a switchable thermal-regulated roof to effectively enable the inner house model to maintain >25 °C in winter and <30 °C in hot summer. This design of Janus structured aerogels with compatible and expandable capabilities is promising to widely benefit the low-energy thermal regulation in changeable climate.

Laminated MXene Foam/Cellulose@LDH Composite Membrane with Efficient EMI Shielding Property for Asymmetric Personal Thermal Management

Facing the increasingly complex and deteriorated environment, people's thermal comfort and health requirements are expanding. Therefore, wearable materials with integrated functions have progressed rapidly due to the fair compatibility for various functions and precise regulation. In this work, a laminated MXene foam/cellulose@LDH composite membrane was fabricated via a facile process consisting of in situ growth, vacuum filtration, and foaming for asymmetrical personal thermal management and electromagnetic interference shielding. In detail, the Zn-Al LDH side shows a high solar reflectance of 0.89 and an infrared emissivity of 0.97 in the atmospheric window, demonstrating the superior radiative cooling property. In contrast, the outstanding radiative warming performance is revealed by the high solar absorption (0.72) and infrared reflectivity (0.55) of the MXene foam. As a result, prominent temperature differences were achieved during the validation test. Compared to the control group, an 18 °C reduction of the Zn-Al LDH side and a 9.6 °C increment of the MXene foam side were observed, bringing out the excellent optical properties and radiative thermal management performances. What is more, due to the outstanding electrical conductivity of MXene, a rapid and prominent temperature rise to 44.2 °C could be expected by applying a low voltage of 1 V to provide active joule warmth. In addition, hydrophobization and the associated stain resistance were explained by the high water contact angles of obtained membranes. The excellent electromagnetic interference shielding performance (43.9 dB) given by the introduction of MXene provides a prospective candidate to replace the common shielding materials. The results, in general, provide a promising strategy for meeting the updating requirements for comfortable living in a world full of potential thermal and health threats.

Recent Advances in Thermoregulatory Clothing: Materials, Mechanisms, and Perspectives

Personal thermal management (PTM) is a promising approach for maintaining the thermal comfort zone of the human body while minimizing the energy consumption of indoor buildings. Recent studies have reported the development of numerous advanced textiles that enable PTM systems to regulate body temperature and are comfortable to wear. Herein, recent advancements in thermoregulatory clothing for PTM are discussed. These advances in thermoregulatory clothing have focused on enhancing the control of heat dissipation between the skin and the localized environment. We primarily summarize research on advanced clothing that controls the heat dissipation pathways of the human body, such as radiation- and conductance-controlled clothing. Furthermore, adaptive clothing such as dual-mode textiles, which can regulate the microclimate of the human body, as well as responsive textiles that address both thermal performance (warming and/or cooling) and wearability are discussed. Finally, we include a discussion on significant challenges and perspectives in this field, including large-scale production, smart textiles, bioinspired clothing, and AI-assisted clothing. This comprehensive review aims to further the development of sustainably manufactured advanced clothing with superior thermal performance and outstanding wearability for PTM in practical applications.

Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling of Silica Aerogels

Silica aerogels are one of the most widely used aerogels, exhibiting excellent thermal insulation performance and ultralow density. However, owing to their plenitude of Si-O-Si bonds, they possess high infrared emissivity in the range of 8-13 µm and are potentially robust passive radiative cooling (PRC) materials. In this study, the PRC behavior of traditional silica aerogels prepared from methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) and dimethyldimethoxysilane (DMDMS) in outdoor environments was investigated. The silica aerogels possessed low thermal conductivity of 0.035 W/m·K and showed excellent thermal insulation performance in room environments. However, sub-ambient cooling of 12 °C was observed on a clear night and sub-ambient cooling of up to 7.5 °C was achieved in the daytime, which indicated that in these cases the silica aerogel became a robust cooling material rather than a thermal insulator owing to its high IR emissivity of 0.932 and high solar reflectance of 0.924. In summary, this study shows the PRC performance of silica aerogels, and the findings guide the utilization of silica aerogels by considering their application environments for achieving optimal thermal management behavior.

Development of Regular Hydrophobic Silica Aerogel Microspheres for Efficient Oil Adsorption

The objective of this research was to develop new hydrophobic silica aerogel microspheres (HSAMs) with water glass and hexmethyldisilazane for oil adsorption. The effects of the hexmethyldisilazane concentration and drying method on the structure and organic liquid adsorption capacity were investigated. The hexmethyldisilazane concentration of the modification solution did not influence the microstructure and pore structure in a noteworthy manner, which depended more on the drying method. Vacuum drying led to more volume shrinkage of the silica gel microsphere (SGM) than supercritical CO₂ drying, thus resulting in a larger apparent density, lower pore volume, narrower pore size distribution, and more compact network. Owing to the large pore volume and pore size, the HSAMs synthesized via supercritical CO₂ drying had a larger organic liquid adsorption capacity. The adsorption capacities of the HSAMs with pore volumes of 4.04-6.44 cm³/g for colza oil, vacuum pump oil, and hexane are up to 18.3, 18.9, and 11.8 g/g, respectively, higher than for their state-of-the-art counterparts. The new sorbent preparation method is facile, cost-effective, safe, and ecofriendly, and the resulting HSAMs are exceptional in capacity, stability, and regenerability.

Hyperelastic Kevlar Nanofiber Aerogels as Robust Thermal Switches for Smart Thermal Management

Aerogels, the lightest artificial solid materials characterized by low density and thermal conductivity, high porosity, and large specific surface area, have attracted increasing interest. Aerogels exhibit single-mode thermal insulation properties regardless of the surrounding temperature. In this study, hyperelastic Kevlar nanofiber aerogels (HEKAs) are designed and fabricated by a slow-proton-release-modulating gelation and thermoinduced crosslinking strategy. The method does not use crosslinking agents and endows the ultralow-density (4.7 mg cm^-3 ) HEKAs with low thermal conductivity (0.029 W m^-1 K^-1 ), high porosity (99.75%), high thermal stability (550 °C), and increased compression resilience (80%) and fatigue resistance. Proofs of the concept of the HEKAs acting as on-off thermal switches are demonstrated through experiments and simulations. The thermal switches exhibit a rapid thermal response speed of 0.73 °C s^-1 , high heat flux of 2044 J m^-2 s^-1 , and switching ratio of 7.5. Heat dissipation can be reversibly switched on/off more than fifty times owing to the hyperelasticity and fatigue resistance of the HEKAs. This study suggests a route to fulfill the hyperelasticity of highly porous aerogels and to tailor heat flux on-demand.

Preparation of environment-friendly SiO2 aerogel based on waste boron mud and its adsorption behavior for toluene

To mitigate the environmental hazards of boron mud waste accumulation, we prepared environmental-friendly SiO₂ aerogels by extracting them through alkaline leaching treatment and optimized the experimental conditions. The optimum process parameters for alkaline leaching solution NaOH concentration, leaching temperature, solid-to-liquid ratio, and leaching time were 2 mol/L, 95 °C, 1:4, and 3 h, respectively. In this work, cheap and non-toxic hydroxy silicone oil (PDMS-OH) and hydrogen-containing silicone oil (PMHS) were used as surface modifiers instead of toxic and expensive trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) in the SiO₂ aerogel modification process. The best performance under the optimum conditions was achieved with 60% PDMS-OH-modified SiO₂ aerogel. Organic liquid spills, represented by toluene, pose a great danger to the environment and water bodies. We treated free toluene on the water surface with the aerogel mentioned above and its adsorption capacity was up to 2,655 mg/g. After the adsorption of toluene, the aerogels coalesced into agglomerates for subsequent collection and handling. Furthermore, after five repeated applications, the adsorption capacity remained at 91.43% of the initial application. Overall, this research provided an inexpensive and simple solution for the treatment of organic liquids in wastewater.

Bioinspired Multilayer Structures for Energy-Free Passive Heating and Thermal Regulation in Cold Environments

Passive thermal regulation has attracted increasing interest owing to its zero-energy consumption capacity, which is expected to alleviate current crises in fossil energy and global warming. In this study, a biomimetic multilayer structure (BMS) comprising a silica aerogel, a photothermal conversion material (PTCM), and a phase change material (PCM) layer is designed inspired by the physiological skin structure of polar bears for passive heating with desirable temperature and endurance. The transparent silica aerogel functions as transparent hairs and allows solar entry and prevents heat dissipation; the PTCM, a glass plate coated with black paint, acts as the black skin to convert the incident sunlight into heat; and the PCM composed of n-octadecane microcapsules stores the heat, regulating temperature and increasing endurance. Impressively, outdoor and simulated experiments indicate efficient passive heating (increment of 60 °C) of the BMS in cold environments, and endurance of 157 and 92 min is achieved compared to a single aerogel and PTCM layer, respectively. The uses of the BMS for passive heating of model houses in winter show an increase of 12.1 °C. COMSOL simulation of the BMSs in high latitudes indicates robust heating and endurance performance in a -20 °C weather. The BMS developed in this study exhibits a smart thermal regulation behavior and paves the way for passive heating in remote areas where electricity and fossil energy are unavailable in cold seasons.

The Aramid-Coating-on-Aramid Strategy toward Strong, Tough, and Foldable Polymer Aerogel Films

Aerogel has been much highlighted as an emerging lightweight thermal insulation material, but problems such as fragility, low strength, liquid permeability, and lack of flexibility greatly limit further applications. In this work, a facile aramid-coating-on-aramid (ACoA) method is demonstrated to fabricate all-aramid aerogel composite films for thermal insulation. The method started from the bottom-up synthesis of polymerization-induced para-aramid nanofibers (PANF), which were easily transformed into aerogel films through the vacuum-assisted filtration followed by the freeze-drying techniques. Then, the heterocyclic aramid (HA) solution prepared through the low-temperature-solution polycondensation was used as the coating to be applied onto the PANF aerogel films, and composite films of HA/PANF aerogel were simply achieved with HA contributed to the dense and continuous surface layer. The bulk HA film is of superior mechanical and thermal properties to those of the PANF film. Moreover, reliable interfacial interlocking structures were developed beneath the outermost surface via the interpenetration of the infiltrated HA with PANF network. The comprehensive result was the 15 times enhanced tensile strength, 33 times enhanced fracture toughness, the high thermal decomposition temperature, and the additional flexibility for the foldable films of HA/PANF aerogel. The sealing of the surface macropores greatly suppressed the surface chalking and high water absorption. However, the survival of the tiny pores inside the composite maintained the low enough level of the thermal conductivity to provide effective protections against high temperature not only in air but also under wet or even liquid conditions, suggesting the broader applications for thermal insulation.

An intelligent cooling material modified with carbon dots for evaporative cooling and UV absorption

The emergence of cooling technology has brought about huge social benefits to society, but it is also accompanied by the serious problem of energy consumption. In countries close to the equator, intense solar radiation is accompanied by unbearable high temperatures and strong ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, we prepared a simple hydrogel with good evaporative cooling, which can work continuously and has good UV absorption, to solve the indoor cooling and UV radiation problems. Polyacrylamide (PAM) in the hydrogel provides a mechanically strong backbone, and polyethylene glycol (PEG) slows water loss and provides the hydrogel with the ability to reflect infrared light. Lithium bromide (LiBr) is a highly efficient water vapor absorbent, which can provide the hydrogel with water regeneration capability. Carbon dots (CDs) can provide excellent UV absorption for hydrogels, and CDs (4.28 kJ kg-1 K-1) have a higher specific heat capacity than water (4.20 kJ kg-1 K-1), which can store more heat for a better indoor cooling effect. The composite hydrogel has a good prospect of application in the windows of residential and high-rise buildings.

A Trimode Thermoregulatory Flexible Fibrous Membrane Designed with Hierarchical Core-Sheath Fiber Structure for Wearable Personal Thermal Management

Advanced textiles designed for personal thermal management contribute to thermoregulation in an individual and energy-saving manner. Textiles incorporated with phase changing materials (PCMs) are capable of bridging the supply and demand for energy by absorbing and releasing latent heat. The integration of solar heating and the Joule heating function supplies multidriving resources, facilitates energy charging and storage, and expands the service time and application scenarios. Herein, we report a fibrous membrane-based textile that was developed by designing the hierarchical core-sheath fiber structure for trimode thermal management. Especially, coaxial electrospinning allows an effective encapsulation of PCMs, with high heat enthalpy density (106.9 J/g), enabling the membrane to buffer drastic temperature changes in the clothing microclimate. The favorable photothermal conversion performance renders the membrane with the high saturated temperature of 70.5 °C (1 sun), benefiting from the synergistic effect of multiple light harvesters. Moreover, a conductive coating endows the composite membrane with an admirable electrothermal conversion performance, reaching a saturated temperature of 73.8 °C (4.2 V). The flexible fibrous membranes with the integrated performance of reversible phase change, multi-source-driven heating, and energy storage present great advantages for all-day, energy-saving, and wearable individual thermal management applications.

Aerogel-Functionalized Thermoplastic Polyurethane as Waterproof, Breathable Freestanding Films and Coatings for Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling

Passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) is an emerging sustainable technology that can spontaneously radiate heat to outer space through an atmospheric transparency window to achieve self-cooling. PDRC has attracted considerable attention and shows great potential for personal thermal management (PTM). However, PDRC polymers are limited to polyethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, and their derivatives. In this study, a series of polymer films based on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and their composite films with silica aerogels (aerogel-functionalized TPU (AFTPU)) are prepared using a simple and scalable non-solvent-phase-separation strategy. The TPU and AFTPU films are freestanding, mechanically strong, show high solar reflection up to 94%, and emit strongly in the atmospheric transparency window, thereby achieving subambient cooling of 10.0 and 7.7 °C on a hot summer day for the TPU and AFTPU film (10 wt%), respectively. The AFTPU films can be used as waterproof and moisture permeable coatings for traditional textiles, such as cotton, polyester, and nylon, and the highest temperature drop of 17.6 °C is achieved with respect to pristine nylon fabric, in which both the cooling performance and waterproof properties are highly desirable for the PTM applications. This study opens up a promising route for designing common polymers for highly efficient PDRC.

Thermal Insulation Performance of SiC-Doped Silica Aerogels under Large Temperature and Air Pressure Differences

Silica aerogel composite is an excellent thermal insulator for spacecraft under high-temperature and complex air environments. This study intends to evaluate SiC-doped silica aerogel’s thermal insulation performance under large temperature and air pressure differences. In this paper, the hot surface’s temperature response of SiC-doped silica aerogel with different content was studied at significant temperature differences (ΔT) when pressure changes instantaneously. Their thermal insulation performance was evaluated by analyzing the influence of pressure gradients on the unsteady-state heat transfer. When the cold surface’s temperature of the specimen keeps constant at 15 °C and ΔT = 171~912 K, the results demonstrate that the correlative thermal conductivities of silica aerogel with 1% and 5.84% SiC are 0.02223~0.04077 W·m−1·K−1 at P ≈ 10 Pa and 0.03165~0.04665 W·m−1·K−1 at P = 1 atm, respectively. The aerogel composite with 0% SiC showed the best thermal insulation performance at ΔT < 200 K and P ≈ 10 Pa, while the aerogel with 5.84% SiC became the best at ΔT > 700 K and P = 1 atm. In addition, the transient pressure decreases will significantly impair the heat transfer of the gas inside the aerogel, thereby weakening the gaseous thermal conductivity and improving the thermal insulation performance.

Superelastic Clay/Silicone Composite Sponges and Their Applications for Oil/Water Separation and Solar Interfacial Evaporation

3D porous materials are of great interest in many areas of study, but it is still difficult to prepare those with high elasticity and low thermal conductivity via facile methods. Here, superelastic laponite/silicone (LS) composite sponges with low thermal conductivity are prepared via a simple approach. The LS sponges were analyzed by various characterization methods. The content of laponite nanosheets in LS sponges has a great influence on the microstructure, comprehensive mechanical properties, and thermal conductivity. LS sponges feature (i) high mechanical strength, compressibility, and elasticity, (ii) excellent superhydrophobicity/superoleophilicity, and (iii) low thermal conductivity. Consequently, LS sponges could be used for water purification, for example, oil/water separation and solar-driven interfacial evaporation in combination with carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The LS/CNTs solar evaporator has a remarkable evaporation rate of 1.77 kg m^-2 h^-1 for the 3.5 wt % NaCl aqueous solution under 1 kW m^-2 irradiation and high salt resistance. We foresee that this study will promote the development of new 3D porous materials and their applications.