Biomedical applications of silica-based aerogels: a comprehensive review

Jahed, Fatemeh Soghra; Hamidi, Samin; Zamani-Kalajahi, Monireh; Siahi‐Shadbad, Mohammadreza

doi:10.1007/s13233-023-00142-9

Cited by 13 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 103 publications

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“…This silicification process inspired by nature relies solely on the interaction between long-chain polyamines and silicic acid under acidic conditions, presenting an advancement of the biomimetic approach toward the creation of flexible composites with mechanical strength. For a start, this process is sustainable, cost-effective and eliminates the use of toxic starting materials, which tackles key issues addressed when considering biomedical applications of biopolymeric aerogels 40 . With diffusion limitations of silane precursors into the depths of a monolith, the approach presented here is best suited for silicifying thin films or microparticles.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diatom-inspired silicification process for development of green flexible silica composite aerogels

Tan,

Berg,

Maleki

2024

Sci Rep

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In this study, we have developed novel biomimetic silica composite aerogels and cryogels for the first time, drawing inspiration from the natural diatom’s silicification process. Our biomimetic approach involved the modification of tyrosinase-mediated oxidized silk fibroin (SFO) surfaces with polyethyleneimine (PEI). This modification introduced ample amine groups onto the SF polymer, which catalyzed the silicification of the SFO-PEI gel surface with silicic acid. This process emulates the catalytic function of long-chain polyamines and silaffin proteins found in diatoms, resulting in a silica network structure on the primary SFO-PEI network gel’s surface. The SFO-PEI gel matrix played a dual role in this process: (1) It provided numerous amine functional groups that directly catalyzed the silicification of silicic acid on the porous structure’s exterior surface, without encapsulating the created silica network in the gel. (2) It served as a flexible mechanical support facilitating the creation of the silica network. As a result, the final ceramic composite exhibits a mechanically flexible nature (e.g., cyclic compressibility up to 80% strain), distinguishing it from conventional composite aerogels. By mimicking the diatom’s silicification process, we were able to simplify the development of silica-polymer composite aerogels. It eliminates the need for surfactants, multi-step procedures involving solvent exchange, and gel washing. Instead, the reaction occurs under mild conditions, streamlining the composite aerogels fabrication process.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diatom-inspired silicification process for development of green flexible silica composite aerogels

Tan,

Berg,

Maleki

2024

Sci Rep

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“…The component from which the aerogel is hydrolyzed and synthesized is a catalyst, which can be acid, base, or a two-step [ 5 , 54 , 57 ]. During the gel preparation phase, the solid nanoparticles spread into it and adhere together to build a medium of particles covering the liquid.…”

Section: Preparation Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In essence, in the sol-gel method, the first step is the preparation of a precursor of the colloidal matrix in a sol(liquid). Next is the gel manufacture, a porous solid stage where the porosity can be tailored by balancing the condensation and hydrolysis rate by settling different parameters, such as pH and the chemical composition of the specific precursors and temperature [ 2 , 57 ].…”

Section: Preparation Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The loaded substance in aerogel can be delivered in a delayed or accelerated form by choosing an appropriate hydrophobic or hydrophilic aerogel. These characteristics make them suitable for high-performance drug carriers since they are biocompatible, biodegradable, and innocuous to humans [ 57 , 80 , 158 , 159 ].…”

Section: Applications Of Silica-based Aerogelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An Updated Overview of Silica Aerogel-Based Nanomaterials

Niculescu,

Tudorache,

Bocioagă

et al. 2024

Nanomaterials

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Silica aerogels have gained much interest due to their unique properties, such as being the lightest solid material, having small pore sizes, high porosity, and ultralow thermal conductivity. Also, the advancements in synthesis methods have enabled the creation of silica aerogel-based composites in combination with different materials, for example, polymers, metals, and carbon-based structures. These new silica-based materials combine the properties of silica with the other materials to create a new and reinforced architecture with significantly valuable uses in different fields. Therefore, the importance of silica aerogels has been emphasized by presenting their properties, synthesis process, composites, and numerous applications, offering an updated background for further research in this interdisciplinary domain.

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“…Additionally, in the sports industry, hydrophobic silica aerogels with tunable mechanical strength can be used to make protective gear, such as helmets, pads, and gloves, that offer both comfort and safety to athletes [38]. The biomedical industry can also benefit from these aerogels, particularly in tissue engineering applications where they can provide a scaffold for cell growth and regeneration [39]. The potential applications of hydrophobic silica aerogels with enhanced properties are vast, and their continued development could lead to the creation of high-performance materials that are versatile, lightweight, and adaptable, by expanding a variety of industries.…”

Section: Comparison and Application Prospect Of As-prepared Modified ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Silicone Modifier on the Physical Properties of Flexible Silica Aerogels

et al. 2023

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Research on the development of flexible silica aerogels (FSAs) has been ongoing due to their excellent thermal insulation, low density, and high elasticity. However, the physical properties of FSAs, such as density, thermal conductivity, mechanical strength, and surface wettability, are highly dependent on the preparation conditions. To achieve the desired properties of FSAs for various applications, it is necessary to develop a method to fine-tune their physical properties. In this paper, two modifiers of methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS)/trimethylethoxysilane (TMES) were employed to fine-tune the bulk density of a series of flexible silica aerogels (FSAs), reflecting a series of FSAs with fine-tunable physical properties. First, the precursor was synthesized by a click reaction between vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) and 2,2′ (ethylenedioxy) diethanethiol (EDDET). The VTMS, EDDET, and the as-prepared precursor were characterized by FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy. Subsequently, the precursor was converted into a series of FSAs (denoted by FSA, FSA-M, and FSA-T) through conventional sol-gel reactions with/without MTMS/TMES. Chemical structures of synthesized FSAs were confirmed by 13C and 29Si solid-state NMR spectroscopy. The porous structure of FSAs was identified by BET and SEM, respectively. Physical properties, such as thermal conductivity, mechanical strength, and surface wettability of FSAs were determined by a Hot Disk, durometer/DMA in compression mode, and contact angle measurements, respectively. This study found FSAs containing none, 1 wt%, 5 wt%, and 10 wt% of MTMS increase the density of FSAs from 0.419 g/cm3 (FSA), 0.423 g/cm3 (FSA-M1), 0.448 g/cm3 (FSA-M5), and 0.456 g/cm3 (FSA-M10). It should be noted that the thermal conductivity, surface hardness, bulk mechanical strength, and hydrophobicity of FSA-Ms of increasing MTMS loading were all found to show a rising trend, while FSA-Ts exhibited lower density. FSA-T10 exhibited lower thermal conductivity, surface hardness, and bulk mechanical strength as compared to FSA. However, it was found to show higher hydrophobicity as compared to that of FSA.

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Biomedical applications of silica-based aerogels: a comprehensive review

Cited by 13 publications

References 103 publications

Diatom-inspired silicification process for development of green flexible silica composite aerogels

Diatom-inspired silicification process for development of green flexible silica composite aerogels

An Updated Overview of Silica Aerogel-Based Nanomaterials

Effect of Silicone Modifier on the Physical Properties of Flexible Silica Aerogels

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