Nanoencapsulated Aerogels Produced by Monomer Vapor Deposition and Polymerization

The Johnson Space Center researched methods to coat aerogel insulation in order to make it better able to withstand vibration, mechanical compression and flexure, and other environmental damage. This NASA-developed nanoencapsulated aerogel technology is a method for increasing the strength of the aerogel through a coating process while maintaining its insulating properties. With this ruggedizing process, the coating of the aerogel reduces mechanical damage, enabling its practical use in products that might not be suitable with the more fragile aerogel. The basic coating can also shield it from adsorbing humidity or other gases, which could otherwise bind to the substance and change its properties. Functionalized coatings could be developed to adsorb certain gases if that is desired. Aerogel’s low density and extremely low thermal conductivity make it useful as a lightweight, volume-efficient insulation material. Encapsulating the aerogel expands its ability to be incorporated into products that are exposed to vibration and compression during manufacture, shipping, or use. It can also improve its flexibility, opening up a range of new product uses.