Bioinspired aerogels: ingenious structure, remarkable performance, and versatile applications

Abstract

The amazing qualities of biomaterials are the result of billions of years of evolution. Normally, biomaterials are formed in moderate environments with a restricted supply of components available for living organisms. The exquisite hierarchical structures play an important role in the surprising properties of these materials. Applying bioinspired principles to fabricate multifunctional aerogel materials has attracted considerable interest in materials science and engineering. Nonetheless, up-to-date, there are almost no review papers related to bioinspired aerogel materials. This review first introduces the characteristics of different bionics techniques, and then the types and preparation methods of bioinspired aerogels are summarized. Furthermore, the recent advancement and challenges of bioinspired aerogel materials in various fields are reviewed and critically discussed, along with a particular focus on the possible strategies to control and regulate the structure and performance of bioinspired aerogel materials. Finally, the possible challenges and perspectives for the future development of emerging bioinspired aerogel materials are also highlighted. Overall, this review offers valuable insights and perspectives for the fabrication of multifunctional bioinspired aerogel materials with ingenious structure, remarkable performance, and versatile applications.