Work

Double-network silica–polyacrylamide composite aerogels with enhanced mechanical integrity and multifunctional adsorption performance

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: A facile strategy was developed to synthesize silica/polyacrylamide composite aerogels that simultaneously exhibit high mechanical strength and large surface area. An interpenetrated organic polyacrylamide network was incorporated within the silica framework without additional cross-linkers, enabling efficient stress distribution and enhanced structural integrity. The optimized TDB-Pam(2 M) composite aerogel possesses a homogeneous mesoporous network with a specific surface area of 774 m 2 g -1 , low density (0.346 g cm -3 ), and superior compressive strength (22.3 MPa) with a Young’s modulus of 25.3 MPa. The incorporation of amide-rich polyacrylamide also provided selective binding sites for heavy-metal ions, achieving more than 90% Hg 2+ removal efficiency and a Langmuir maximum adsorption capacity of 626.79 mg g -1 for TDB-Pam(2 M). This synthesis route provides an effective approach to fabricate mechanically reinforced, multifunctional silica-based aerogels applicable to environmental purification and other advanced porous-material applications.

Source: Scientific Reports

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-73704-3

Authors: Qi Wang, Wonjun Lee, D. B. Mahadik, Taehee Kim, Hyung-Ho Park

Institution: Yonsei University

Language: English

Topic: Aerogels and thermal insulation

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,690

Funders: National Research Foundation of Korea, Ministry of Science and ICT, South Korea