Programmable Assembly of Hierarchical 3D Aerogel.

3D porous ordered aerogels attract considerable attention in catalysis, energy storage, and biomedical engineering, yet the precise construction of aerogels' microstructures remains challenging. Herein, inspired by secondary dendrite formation in metal casting, a programmable assembly strategy is reported to customize 3D hierarchical ordered aerogels through freeze casting with internal cold fingers (ICF). As revealed by the temperature field and phase-transition simulations, the ICF effectively regulates the temperature gradient, which subsequently controls the nucleation process, and growth orientation of ice crystals during the solidification of the ice template.

Universal Coating Strategy Breaks Stability-Performance Trade-Off in Macroscopic Graphene Films.

Macroscopic graphene film (MGF), excelling in superior electric and thermal conductivities, holds great promise in energy storage, thermal management, and flexible electronics. However, the high graphitization of MGF leads to surface fragility because of the weak interlayer interaction, leading to severe performance limitations. Herein, we report an interface engineering strategy for the thinnest coating on MGF to date, significantly enhancing surface stability while preserving ultrahigh electric and thermal conductivities.