Neat CNF aerogels, as shown previously, have a waterinduced
shape recovery property.44 As the presence of grafted
polymer contributed primarily to alter surface wetting
characteristics of aerogels, the solvent-induced shape recovery
property of CNF aerogels could still be retained. However,
because the surface modification changes the CNF’s hydrophobicity
so the capillary force of aerogel pores as well as the
swellability of CNF, the solvent that could stimulate the shape
recovery of the compressed aerogel should be different for
modified and unmodified CNF aerogels. Instead of water that
was used in previous study for neat aerogel shape recovery,44 it
was found that pyridine could stimulate the shape recovery of
hydrophobic aerogel as shown in Figure 9a−d. The mechanism