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Encapsulated Aerogel Fiber Mimicking the “Core–Shell” Structure of Polar Bear Hair for Thermal Insulation

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Abstract

Designing and large-scale production of woven aerogel fibers with superior thermal insulation and multifunctionality to meet human demand for warm textiles is a major challenge. In recent research, an encapsulated aerogel fiber that mimics the structure of polar bear hair has exhibited superior thermal insulation performance and mechanical strength. This innovation disrupts the current state of thermal insulation textiles, addresses the brittleness issue of aerogel fibers, and significantly enhances the processability of products. This study lays the groundwork for manufacturing efficient and sustainable thermal insulation textiles, which have immense potential in areas such as military attire and spacesuits in extreme cold environments.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 62175082), Multidisciplinary Research Support Program of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (Grant No. 2023JCYJ039), National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2022YFB3805800).

Funding

This article is funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China, 62175082, Guangming Tao, Multidisciplinary Research Support Program of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 2023JCYJ039, Guangming Tao, National Key Research and Development Program of China, 2022YFB3805800, Guangming Tao.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die and Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering and Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Guangming Tao & Jiawei Wu

  2. State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China

    Meifang Zhu

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  1. Guangming Tao
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  2. Jiawei Wu
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  3. Meifang Zhu
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Correspondence to Guangming Tao or Meifang Zhu.

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Tao, G., Wu, J. & Zhu, M. Encapsulated Aerogel Fiber Mimicking the “Core–Shell” Structure of Polar Bear Hair for Thermal Insulation. Adv. Fiber Mater. 6, 329–331 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42765-024-00376-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42765-024-00376-x

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