Can aerogel be used in construction?

Due to their low thermal conductivity and acoustic property for noise abatement, aerogels could be used in buildings, as well as for adsorption and catalysis in indoor air purification, photocatalysis in environmental clean-up, non- combustibility (inorganic aerogels) in fire retardation boards in kitchens.

Why are aerogels good insulators?

Air in microscopic pores make up the remaining 97% of aerogel’s volume. This air has very little room to move, inhibiting both convection and gas-phase conduction. These characteristics make aerogel the world’s lowest density solid and most effective thermal insulator.

Which factors influence the insulation properties of aerogels?

Thermal insulation properties of aerogels are closely related to their acoustic properties too. The acoustic propagation in aerogels depends on the interstitial gas nature and pressure, density, and more generally the texture [21].

Are aerogels sustainable?

Cellulose aerogel made of paper waste is biodegradable, non-toxic, flexible and ultra-strong. “Aerogels, which are among the lightest solid materials known to man, are one of the finest insulation materials available. Traditional aerogels are mainly made of silica, which is not environmentally-friendly.

Why are aerogels used as insulation for buildings?

This creates a solid three-dimensional nanoporous structure containing 80-99% air. Due to their high porosity, aerogels exhibit the lowest thermal conductivity of any solid, whilst being transparent to light and solar radiation.

What kind of insulation is Aspen Aerogels used for?

Aspen Aerogels is selling aerogels–a high-tech insulating material used in oil and gas pipelines and in aerospace–to retrofit older homes to be more energy efficient. Aerogels are a high-tech material used in space missions.

How big are the pores in Aerogel insulation?

Typically, pores within conventional insulation are over 1mm wide, allowing gas molecules to move freely and transfer thermal energy by convection. By comparison, pores within aerogel can be as small as 20-40nm (even smaller than the ‘mean free path’ of air at 60-100nm).

How long does it take to make Aerogel insulation?

The findings from the study demonstrated how the energy and CO2 required to manufacture high performance silica aerogel insulation can be recovered within 0-2 years (when comparing results to the in-use savings arising from retrofitting to single glazing ).