Granting strength to aerogel fibers through encapsulation

Aerogel fibers, distinguished by their lightweight nature, pronounced porosity, large surface area, and superior thermal insulation properties, have diversified applications in thermal management, energy devices, and environmental remediation [1].However, compared with monolithic ones, these fibershaped aerogels exhibit limited mechanical strength and resilience due to their one-dimensional small size.Typically, the mechanical strength and tensile strain of aerogel fibers are lower than a few megapascals (MPa) and 2%, respectively [2,3].These inferior mechanical properties largely constrain their practical applications, particularly in fabric and textile assembly, as their low strength and poor flexibility cannot withstand the deformations experienced by traditional weaving and knitting machines.Consequently, the development of large-scale textiles consisting of aerogel fibers remains an elusive goal.In nature, animals like polar bears possess hairs featuring a distinct structure that effectively withstands extremely cold conditions.These hairs exhibit a core-shell structure: an inner core that is hollow and porous, surrounded by a dense and transparent shell.This structure allows sunlight to penetrate the