3D打印气凝胶的研究现状

Research status of 3D printed aerogels

气凝胶材料具有高比表面积、高孔隙率、低密度以及低热导率等优良性能,被认为是21世纪的十大新材料之一。然而,传统气凝胶由于其力学性能有限,难以经过后加工技术形成所需的复杂形状结构,满足实际应用的需求。因此,无需复杂后处理,即定制化制备复杂形状结构材料的3D打印技术有望成为突破气凝胶材料应用瓶颈的先进制造技术。该文从3D打印气凝胶的技术种类和材料类型两个方面,综述了3D打印气凝胶材料的研究进展;归纳了3D打印气凝胶材料在阻燃隔热、介电和组织工程中的独特应用并展望了3D打印气凝胶的发展趋势。最后指出扩宽3D打印气凝胶材料的材料体系、开发更适应气凝胶打印的3D打印技术、提升打印精度与速度和深入研究3D打印气凝胶的可控孔隙结构对其性能的影响是未来的几个重要的研究方向。3D打印气凝胶材料的开发有望促进气凝胶材料的快速发展。

Aerogel materials, possessing numerous interesting features including high specific surface area,high porosity, low density, and low thermal conductivity, are regarded as one of the top ten novel materials in the 21st century. However, due to the limited mechanical properties of typical aerogels, it is difficult through post-processing to fabricate aerogels with complex shape and structure required by practical situations. Therefore, 3D printing, with the ability to customize materials with complex shapes and structures, is a promising advanced manufacturing technology for bottleneck breakthroughs of aerogel practical applicability with no complicated post-processing needed. Herein, the research progress of 3D printed aerogels in the aspects of printing methods and material classification was firstly discussed,followed by summarization of their unique applications in the fields of flame retardant thermal insulation,dielectric, and tissue engineering as well as the future development directions. Finally, 3D aerogel material system expansion, exploration of 3D printing technology more suitable for aerogel printing, printing accuracy and speed enhancement, and further investigation of the controllable pore structure influence on the performance of 3D printed aerogels are considered to be the future research directions. The development of 3D printed aerogel materials is expected to promote the rapid progress of aerogel materials.