Abstract
Aerogels are three-dimensional networks of nanoparticles with high specific surface area and high porosity. Following the significant improvement on the mechanical strengths and ductility of traditional aerogels with polymer cross-linking (i.e., X-aerogels), the emergence of pure polymeric aerogels has enabled unprecedented aerogel applications such as ballistic armor protection, which is quite surprising for such low-density materials. However, generally low glass transition temperatures (Tg) of polymeric aerogels hinder their structural applicability at service temperatures above their Tg temperatures. Thereby, developing novel polymeric aerogels with high Tg temperatures is crucial for high-temperature structural applications. As phenolic resins, polybenzoxazines are heat-resistant and mechanically strong with high glass transition temperatures. In this study, polybenzoxazine aerogels have been successfully synthesized, and their mechanical properties at different densities and elevated temperatures have been investigated. High thermo-mechanical stability has been observed over the entire temperature range of interest (i.e., below 250 °C) for their quasi-static compressive properties such as Young’s modulus and compressive strength. Moreover, the storage and loss moduli in shear of the aerogels have been studied at different temperatures and frequencies. The strong mechanical performance of these aerogels at elevated temperatures makes them an important, inexpensive, and advanced material for high-temperature applications, competitive with significantly more expensive polyimides.
