3D large deformable SiO2-based ceramic aerogel with anti-infrared property for high-temperature thermal insulation

SiO 2 -based ceramic aerogels have been extensively employed in thermal protection systems due to their lightweight and excellent thermal stability characteristics. However, their inherent brittleness and relatively high infrared transparency severely restrict their applications under extreme service conditions. In this study, the synergistic integration of anti-infrared property and 3D deformability was first achieved, and an anti-infrared ceramic aerogel composite metastructure (anti-infrared CAM) with an origami structure was designed and fabricated. To address the infrared transparency issue of SiO₂, potassium titanate whiskers (PTW) with high infrared reflective properties were introduced into the SiO₂ aerogel, while a TiO₂ coating was deposited on the fiber surfaces to construct a dual infrared barrier system. The results showed that the prepared anti-infrared CAM exhibited a high uniaxial tensile strain exceeding 80 % and excellent cyclic tensile fatigue resistance. Notably, the introduction of PTW enhanced the anti-infrared capability, making anti-infrared CAM possessed highly efficient high-temperature thermal insulation performance. Although the TiO 2 -coated fibers as the structural framework reduced the tensile strain, they improved the compressive strength. Therefore, the anti-infrared CAM broke through the limitations of brittleness and high infrared transparency in traditional SiO₂-based ceramic aerogels, significantly expanding the application in harsh and complex extreme environments.