Self‐Assembled Construction of Robust and Super Elastic Graphene Aerogel for High‐Efficient Formaldehyde Removal and Multifunctional Application

Abstract

Simultaneously achieving exceptional mechanical strength and resilience of graphene aerogel (GA) remains a challenge, while GA is an ideal candidate for formaldehyde removal. Herein, flexible polyethyleneimine (PEI) is grafted chemically onto carbon nanotube (CNT) surface, and CNT‐PEI@reduced GA (rGA) is fabricated via hydrothermal self‐assembly, pre‐frozen, and hydrazine reduction process. Introducing CNT‐PEI contributes to well‐interconnected/robust 3D network construction by connecting reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets through enhancing cross‐linking, while entangled CNT‐PEI is intercalated into rGO layers to avoid serious restacking of sheets, producing larger surface area and more formaldehyde adsorption sites. Ultralight CNT‐PEI@rGA exhibits extreme high strength (276.37 kPa), reversible compressibility at 90% strain, and structural stability, while FA adsorption capacity reached 568.41 mg g‐1, ≈3.28 times of rGA, derivable from synergistic chemical‐physical adsorption effect. Furthermore, CNT‐PEI@rGA is ground into powder for first preparing polyoxymethylene (POM)/CNT‐PEI@rGA composite, while formaldehyde emission amount is 69.63%/73.96% lower than that of POM at 60/230 °C. Moreover, CNT‐PEI@rGA presents outstanding piezoresistive‐sensing and thermal insulation properties, exhibiting high strain sensitivity, wide strain detection range, and long‐term durability.

A Review of Graphene-Based Materials/Polymer Composite Aerogels

“…Graphene aerogels can be used as adsorption materials because of their high specific surface areas, high porosities, and hydrophobicity. Combining them with functional polymers can further improve the adsorption capacity and efficiency [127][128][129][130][131][132]. For example, Zhang et al [133] reported a dimethyldiallylammonium chloride acrylamide polymer (P(AM-DMDAAC))/graphene aerogel (PGA) with high adsorption capacity and high hydrophobicity by one-step hydrothermal treatment of doping P(AM-DMDAAC) into graphene aerogel.…”

Biobased Aerogels Fabricated by the Ice Crystal Method for Smoke Purifying

“…Aerogel is a desirable porous purification material for polluted air, with interconnected three-dimensional (3D) solid networks and huge amounts of air-filled pores, possessing excellent properties such as low density, excellent specific surface area, and high porosity. − In general, aerogels can be fabricated by diverse approaches, such as hydrothermal method, − Pickering emulsion template, − and 3D printing. − Our group previously adopted a high internal phase Pickering emulsion as template to fabricate macroporous aerogels for the adsorption of dyes in water, which needed a complicated preparation process . Lei’s group utilized the Sonogashira-Hagihara cross-coupling reaction to prepare conjugated microporous polymers with a 3D porous network structure, which showed high PM 2.5 removal efficiency and excellent antibacterial activity. , However, the preparation process required toxic organic solvent, which was not environmental-friendly.…”

Construction of Poly(butylene succinate)-Grafted Graphene Bionanocomposites: Intercalation Structure, Synergistic Thermal–Oxidative Stabilization Effect, and Hydrolytic Behavior

“…Some additives have been introduced to tackle the above issues, e.g., montmorillonite, , layered silicate, carbon nanotubes, etc. Among them, graphene with a two-dimensional lamellar structure has drawn wide attention owing to its superior mechanical strength, high surface area, and chemical/thermal stability. , Thus, some studies have recently been dedicated to PBS/graphene composites. For example, Platnieks et al prepared biobased PBS/few-layer graphene nanocomposites by a melt-blending technique, whose crystallization temperature increased by 10 °C.…”