Ultra-thin melamine foam aerogel paper with low thermal conductivity and flame retardancy

To address the critical demand for ultra-thin, high performance thermal insulation and flame-retardant materials in miniaturized electronics. This study developed a melamine foam (MF)-based aerogel paper with integrated functional properties.​ Using hot-pressed MF as the supporting substrate, fumed silica (FS) as the aerogel precursor, nano-carbon black as a thermal radiation suppressor, and PVA as an interfacial adhesive, melamine aerogel paper (MF-FS-C) was fabricated via ultrasonic dispersion, atmospheric impregnation, low-temperature freezing cross-linking, and ambient drying; its micro-morphology, thermal insulation, flame retardancy, and mechanical properties were systematically characterized.​ Results show MF-FS-C has an ultra-thin thickness of ∼400 μm and retains good cuttability. Its thermal conductivity is as low as 24.5 mW/(m·K) at -20 °C (carbon black reduces radiative heat transfer), with a limited oxygen index (LOI) of 43 % (vs. 23 % for pure MF) and 52 % residual mass at 800 °C (vs. 48 % for MF-FS); its compressive strength (14.3 kPa) also outperforms pure MF (8 kPa).​ This material is expected to overcome the application bottlenecks of traditional thermal protection materials in miniaturized electronics, offering practical solutions for thermal management in wearable medical devices, flexible electronics, and compact servers.