Ultralight ZrB2/ZrC nanofiber aerogels with excellent elasticity and ultra-low thermal conductivity

In this work, ZrB 2 /ZrC nanofiber aerogels with excellent elasticity and ultra-low thermal conductivity were prepared by electrospinning and freeze-drying. The aerogels with isotropic cellular-like pore structure were obtained with pore walls composed of graphene oxide attached with ZrB 2 /ZrC nanofibers. The aerogels showed recoverable property under 60 % compressive strain. The thermal conductivity of the aerogels was 0.029 W·m −1 ·k −1 , much lower than that of other carbide and boride aerogels. These intriguing results may offer considerable advantages for thermal insulation in extreme environments.