Fiber reinforced aerogel composites
AssigneeScintilex, LLC
InventorsIan Louis Pegg, Tanja Horn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Fiber reinforced aerogel composites, including a transparent composite material that contains an aerogel and fibers embedded into the aerogel and/or bonded to one or more surfaces of the aerogel, and composites that contain an aerogel tile and an assemblage of fibers embedded into the aerogel tile or bonded to the aerogel tile that are useful as Cherenkov radiators for the detection and identification of subatomic particles. Also, methods of making and using the composites.
Claims16
A transparent composite material, comprising:
- a. a silica aerogel;
- and
- b. fibers embedded into the aerogel and/or bonded to one or more surfaces of the aerogel,
- wherein said fibers are made from borosilicate glass or from alkali resistant silicate glass.
A method for fabricating a transparent composite material, the method comprising:
- a. providing a mat of fibers that is one or a few fibers thick;
- b. locating the fiber mat in the bottom of a mold;
- c. pouring an aerogel precursor solution into the mold;
- d. allowing the aerogel precursor solution to begin to gel;
- e. placing a second fiber mat on top of the aerogel precursor in the mold after d;
- f. allowing the gelation process to complete;
- and
- g. removing the solvent from the aerogel after f;
- whereby the strength of the aerogel is increased by the fibers, and wherein the dimensions and concentration of the fibers are such that that the amount of Cherenkov radiation from the aerogel substantially exceeds the amount of Cherenkov radiation from the fibers.
A Cherenkov radiator for the detection of subatomic particles by conversion of some of the particle energy into Cherenkov radiation, comprising:
- a. an aerogel tile;
- and
- b. an assemblage of fibers embedded into the aerogel tile or bonded to the aerogel tile;
- whereby the strength of the aerogel tile is increased but the fiber material, dimensions, and concentration are such that that the amount of Cherenkov radiation from the aerogel substantially exceeds the amount of Cherenkov radiation from the fibers, and
- wherein the aerogel is a silica aerogel and the fibers are made from borosilicate glass.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.