Methods for making aerogel composites
AssigneeCabot Corporation
InventorsDhaval Arun Doshi, Thomas Michael Miller, Joshua Harby Chase, Catherine Meryl Norwood
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Abstract
Composites such as self-supporting rigid composites that include aerogel have low thermal conductivity and attractive mechanical properties. Methods for preparing such composites include, for example, combining an aerogel-containing material with a binder to form a slurry and allowing the slurry to harden. At least part of the hardening process in conducted under compression.
Claims21
A method for producing a self supporting rigid composite, the method comprising:
- (a) combining aerogel particles and an inorganic binder to form a slurry;
- (b) combining the slurry with a filamentary material, wherein the filamentary material has a filament length that is substantially preserved during a mixing process conducted to disperse the filamentary material in the slurry;
- (c) shaping the slurry or applying the slurry to a surface or into an opening;
- and
- (d) allowing the shaped slurry to harden, wherein at least part of the hardening process is conducted under compression, thereby producing a self supporting rigid composite having:
- a thermal conductivity that is no greater than about 50 mW/m·K at 23° C. and 1 atmosphere;
- and
- one or more mechanical properties selected from the group consisting of:
- (i) a flexural strength greater than about 0.05 MPa;
- (ii) a compressive strength greater than about 0.1 MPa;
- and
- (iii) an elastic modulus greater than about 0.5 MPa.
A method for producing a self supporting rigid composite, the method comprising:
- a) combining an aerogel-containing material and an inorganic binder to form a slurry;
- b) combining a filamentary material with the slurry through a mixing process that substantially preserves an initial filament length characterizing the filamentary material, thereby forming a mixture;
- c) shaping the mixture;
- and
- d) allowing mixture to harden, wherein at least part of the hardening process is conducted under compression, thereby producing the self supporting rigid composite, wherein the self supporting rigid composite has a thermal conductivity that is no greater than about 50 mW/m·K at 23° C. and 1 atmosphere.
A method for producing a rigid composite, the method comprising:
- a) combining an aerogel-containing material and an inorganic binder to form a slurry;
- b) combining a filamentary material with the slurry through a mixing process that substantially preserves an initial filament length characterizing the filamentary material, thereby forming a mixture;
- c) applying the mixture to a substrate or into an opening;
- and
- d) allowing the applied mixture to harden, wherein the rigid composite has a thermal conductivity that is no greater than about 50 mW/m·K at 23° C. and 1 atmosphere;
- and
- one or more mechanical properties selected from the group consisting of:
- (i) a flexural strength greater than about 0.05 MPa;
- (ii) a compressive strength greater than about 0.1 M Pa;
- and
- (iii) an elastic modulus greater than about 0.5 MPa.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.