Method of preparing silica aerogel granules

Abstract

A method of preparing transparent or nontransparent silica aerogel granules. The method includes forming a granular wet gel by spraying a silica sol into alcohol, the silica sol being prepared by mixing a water glass solution or an opacifier-containing water glass solution with an inorganic acid solution, forming a granular alcohol gel through gelation aging and solvent substitution of the granular wet gel in alcohol, hydrophobically modifying the surface of the granular alcohol gel using an organic silane compound, and drying the surface modified gel at ambient pressure or in a vacuum. The method may prepare silica aerogel granules in a short period of time through heat treatment at a relatively low temperature and at ambient pressure or in a vacuum, thereby ensuring excellent economic feasibility, continuity and reliability, suited for mass production.

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