Fast microwave dried mechanical robust melamine sponge/methyltrimethoxysilane-based silica aerogel composites with bendability and superhydrophobicity

In this work, melamine sponge (MS) reinforced methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS)-based silica aerogels were fabricated via a sol–gel method followed by fast microwave drying. The aerogel composites with large size (20 × 20 × 2 cm) can be dried within 30 min. The MS/MTMS-based silica aerogel composites exhibit macro-pore structure, low density (95–178 kg m −3 ), excellent integrity and bending flexibility, together with high mechanical strength (Young’s modulus up to 4.787 MPa). Moreover, the superhydrophobicity with a contact angle as high as 164° and a low thermal conductivity of 0.033 W m −1  K −1 are demonstrated. Our work offers an effective method to fabricate high-quality aerogel composites as promising candidates for energy-saving applications.