Bioinspired strong nanocellular composite prepared with magnesium phosphate cement and polyurea aerogel

Abstract

Abstract A strong nanocellular composite with stiff magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) particles and soft polyurea aerogel (PUA) has been synthesized and characterized. Utilizing the nano-confinement effect, the effective Young’s modulus and the compressive strength of the ligaments are 8–10 times higher than those of PUA. Taking advantage of the hierarchical cellular structure of PUA, the low density (0.285\u202fg·cm−3) and high porosity (86.4%) features are preserved. This bioinspired nano-composite design has shown superior composite action, offering both high strength and deformability. The verified analytical model reveals the bioinspired designing rules for MPC/PUA material system.