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Vol. 18 (2026)

Three-dimensional Patterning Super-Black Silica-Based Nanocomposite Aerogels

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-025-01870-6
Zhiyang Zhao
Laboratory for Building Energy Materials and Components, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 8600 Empa, Dübendorf, Switzerland
Romain Civioc
Laboratory for Building Energy Materials and Components, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 8600 Empa, Dübendorf, Switzerland
Wei Liu
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009, People’s Republic of China
Peiying Hu
Laboratory for Building Energy Materials and Components, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 8600 Empa, Dübendorf, Switzerland
Mengmeng Li
Laboratory for Building Energy Materials and Components, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 8600 Empa, Dübendorf, Switzerland
Fuhao Xu
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009, People’s Republic of China
Robin Pauer
Electron Microscopy Center, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 8600 Empa, Dübendorf, Switzerland
Jiabei Luo
Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zurich, Stefano‑Franscini‑Platz 3, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
Samuel Brunner
Laboratory for Building Energy Materials and Components, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 8600 Empa, Dübendorf, Switzerland
Paweł P. Ziemiański
Laboratory for Building Energy Materials and Components, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 8600 Empa, Dübendorf, Switzerland
Ilia Sadykov
Laboratory for Building Energy Materials and Components, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 8600 Empa, Dübendorf, Switzerland
Sandra Galmarini
Laboratory for Building Energy Materials and Components, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 8600 Empa, Dübendorf, Switzerland
Yong Kong
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009, People’s Republic of China
Xiaodong Shen
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009, People’s Republic of China
Wim J. Malfait
Laboratory for Building Energy Materials and Components, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 8600 Empa, Dübendorf, Switzerland
Shanyu Zhao
Laboratory for Building Energy Materials and Components, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 8600 Empa, Dübendorf, Switzerland

Corresponding Author: Shanyu Zhao

shanyu.zhao@empa.ch

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 18 (2026), Article Number: 36

Abstract

Aerogels are ultra-lightweight, porous materials defined by a complex network of interconnected pores and nanostructures, which effectively suppress heat transfer, making them exceptional for thermal insulation. Furthermore, their porous architecture can trap and scatter light via multiple internal reflections, extending the optical path within the material. When combined with suitable light-absorbing materials, this feature significantly enhances light absorption (darkness). To validate this concept, mesoporous silica aerogel particles were incorporated into a resorcinol–formaldehyde (RF) sol, and the silica-to-RF ratio was optimized to achieve uniform carbon compound coatings on the silica pore walls. Notably, increasing silica loading raised the sol viscosity, enabling formulations ideal for direct ink writing processes with excellent shape fidelity for super-black topographical designs. The printed silica–RF green bodies exhibited remarkable mechanical strength and ultra-low thermal conductivity (15.8 mW m–1 K–1) prior to pyrolysis. Following pyrolysis, the composites maintained structural integrity and printed microcellular geometries while achieving super-black coloration (abs. 99.56% in the 280–2500 nm range) and high photothermal conversion efficiency (94.2%). Additionally, these silica–carbon aerogel microcellulars demonstrated stable electrical conductivity and low electrochemical impedance. The synergistic combination of 3D printability and super-black photothermal features makes these composites highly versatile for multifunctional applications, including on-demand thermal management, and efficient solar-driven water production.


Highlights:
1 The 3D printed aerogel has an ultra-low thermal conductivity (15.8 mW m–1 K–1), make it an ideal insulation material in extreme environment (The surface temperature of a 1 cm thickness green body maintained at ≈60 °C after being placed at 300 °C for 30 min).
2 The super-black silica-carbon aerogel exhibits surprising light absorption feature (as high as 99.56%), and shows rapid evaporation rate (2.25 kg m-2 h-1) and excellent energy conversion efficiency (94.2%).
3 The combination of super-black and super-insulation features, offering immense potential for multifunctional, high-performance applications across thermal and optical domains.

Keywords

Super-black Nanocomposites Aerogel 3D printing Photothermal conversion
Zhao, Zhiyang, Romain Civioc, Wei Liu, Peiying Hu, Mengmeng Li, Fuhao Xu, Robin Pauer, Jiabei Luo, Samuel Brunner, Paweł P. Ziemiański, Ilia Sadykov, Sandra Galmarini, Yong Kong, Xiaodong Shen, Wim J. Malfait, and Shanyu Zhao. 2025. “Three-Dimensional Patterning Super-Black Silica-Based Nanocomposite Aerogels”. Nano-Micro Letters 18 (August):36. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-025-01870-6.
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