Conductive Biohybrid Aerogels
In this research program we are tuning the interactions of nanocellulose and conductive nanomaterials such as silver nanowires, carbon nanotubes and MXenes in colloidal dispersions that can be processed into aerogels with tailored structural and physical properties.
Nanocellulose has unique surface and charge properties that allow these biopolymers to act as dispersant and structure directing agents for a well controlled arrangement of conductive nanomaterials in liquid dispersions. Using directional freezing coupled with ambient, freeze or supercritical drying techniques makes it possible to control the microstrutcture of the resulting biohybrid foams or aerogels. Varying the relative amount and morphology of the nanocellulose and the conductive nanomaterials renders pore walls with controllable mechanical and electrical conductive properties, which translates to the macroscopic materials that can be designed to be e.g. stiff and strong, soft and elastic as well as insulating or highly conductive.
We have explored this rich freedom in changing the structural and physical properties of these ultralight materials to develop materials for pressure sensing, electromagnetic shielding and novel optical elements such as phase shifters, polarizers and absorbers.
This work has been disclosed in numerous scientific publications including highly cited papers in Advanced Science, ACS Nano, Journal of Materials Chemistry A and ACS Nano.
The work has also been widely reported through Empa media releases on the World’s lightest shielding material with following features in Phys.org and Nanowerk.