Aerogel-Reinforced Composites

A method for fabricating low-density, flexible aerogel composites for use as thermal insulation was developed for environments that require insulation materials that can withstand temperatures of up to 1200 °C. This innovation significantly advances the state of the art for composite insulation systems, reducing adherence problems and thermal conductivity limitations of conventional aerogel insulations while improving performance with lower weight, lower density, and higher efficiency. The aluminosilicate aerogel composites are fabricated using a sol-gel technique. A sol is formed by hydrolyzing an alumina dispersion in acid solution; the alumina may be combined with a silicon precursor to create a sol.