Segmented flexible gel composites and rigid panels manufactured therefrom

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11517870-B2
Application number	US-202117470617-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2021
Priority date	Aug 10, 2012
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

The present invention describes various methods for manufacturing gel composite sheets using segmented fiber or foam reinforcements and gel precursors. Additionally, rigid panels manufactured from the resulting gel composites are also described. The gel composites are relatively flexible enough to be wound and when unwound, can be stretched flat and made into rigid panels using adhesives.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A reinforced aerogel composite sheet comprising an aerogel and a segmented reinforcement sheet, wherein
the segmented reinforcement sheet has a length, a width, and a thickness, and
the segmented reinforcement sheet is fully segmented through the thickness across the entire width of the segmented reinforcement sheet.

2. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 , wherein the aerogel has a continuous network through at least one segment of the segmented reinforcement sheet.

3. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 , wherein the aerogel comprises a material selected from the group consisting of zirconia, yttria, hafnia, alumina, titania, ceria, silica, polyacrylates, polystyrenes, polyacrylonitriles, polyurethanes, polyimides, polyfurfural alcohol, phenol furfuryl alcohol, melamine formaldehydes, resorcinol formaldehydes, cresol formaldehyde, phenol formaldehyde, polyvinyl alcohol dialdehyde, polycyanurates, polyacrylamides, various epoxies, agar, and agarose and combinations thereof.

4. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 , wherein the aerogel comprises silica.

5. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 , wherein the segmented reinforcement sheet includes a facing layer or sheet attached thereto.

6. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 5 , wherein the facing layer provides additional tensile strength to and dust containment for the aerogel composite sheet.

7. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 5 , wherein the facing layer comprises fibers or glass veil.

8. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 , wherein the segmented reinforcement sheet comprises a segmented fiber reinforcement sheet or a segmented open-cell foam reinforcement sheet.

9. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 , wherein the segmented reinforcement sheet comprises a non-woven sheet.

10. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 , wherein the segmented reinforcement sheet comprises non-continuous fibers.

11. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 , wherein the segmented reinforcement sheet comprises continuous fibers or chopped fibers.

12. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 , wherein the segmented reinforcement sheet comprises fiber materials selected from the group consisting of mineral wool, glass wool, fiber glass, polyester, polyolefin terephthalates, poly(ethylene) naphthalate, polycarbonates, regenerated cellulose fiber, aliphatic or semi-aromatic polyamides, cotton based polyester-polyurea copolymer, Carbon based fibers, graphite, polyacrylonitrile (PAN), oxidized PAN, uncarbonized heat treated PAN, fiberglass based material, E-glass, silica based fibers, quartz, Polyaramid fibers, polyolefins, polypropylene fibers, fluoropolymers, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Silicon carbide fibers, ceramic, Acrylic polymers, fibers of wool, silk, hemp, leather, suede, poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) (PBO), Liquid crystal material, Polyurethanes, polyamaides, Wood fibers, Boron, Aluminum, Iron, Stainless Steel fibers, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyether sulfone (PES), polyetherimide (PEl), polyether ketone (PEK), poly(p-phenylene sulfide) (PPS) and combinations thereof.

13. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 , wherein the segmented reinforcement sheet comprises glass fiber or E-glass fiber.

14. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 , further comprising at least a binder in the fibers of the fiber reinforcement sheet or comprising a fiber reinforcement sheet comprising at least one binder.

15. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 , wherein the segmented reinforcement sheet comprises foam materials selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, isocyanate-based materials, polyisocyanurates, polyimides, polyvinyl chloride, Styrofoam, silicones, polyolefins, epoxies, urea-formaldehyde, latex rubber, fluoropolymers and syntactic foams.

16. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 , further comprising additives selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, iron oxides, carbon black, graphite, aluminum hydroxide, phosphates, borates, metal silicates, metallocenes, molybdates, stannates, hydroxides, carbonates, zinc oxides, aluminum oxides, antimony oxides, magnesium-zinc blends, magnesium-zinc-antimony blends, silicon carbide, molybdenum silicide, manganese oxides, iron titanium oxide, zirconium silicate, zirconium oxide, iron (I) oxide, iron (III) oxide, manganese dioxide, iron titanium oxide (ilmenite), chromium oxide, and a combination thereof.

17. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 , further comprising silicon carbide.

18. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 , wherein at least a segment of the segmented reinforcement sheet is rigid.

19. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 , wherein the thermal conductivity of the reinforced aerogel composite sheet is less than 25 mW/mK at 37.5° C. and ambient pressure conditions.

20. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 , wherein at least one gap exists between at least two adjoining segments, the at least one gap extending across the width of the reinforced aerogel composite sheet.

21. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 20 , wherein the at least one gap includes discontinuity in at least the reinforcement sheet.

22. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 20 , wherein the at least one gap which exists between at least two adjoining segments extends across the entire width of the reinforced aerogel composite sheet.

23. The reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composite sheet is needled or sewn.

24. A panel comprising at least two layers of the reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 .

25. The panel of claim 24 , wherein the at least two layers are needled or sewn.

26. The panel of claim 24 , wherein the at least two layers are compressed together.

27. The panel of claim 24 , further comprising an adhesive, wherein the adhesive is selected from the group consisting of potassium water glass, sodium water glass, cement and alkali-activated aluminosilicates, polyethylene, kapton, polyurethane, polyester, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, hypalon, plastic alloys, PTFE, polyvinyl halides, polyester, neoprene, acrylics, nitriles, EPDM, EP, viton, vinyls, vinyl-acetate, ethylene-vinyl acetate, styrene, styrene-acrylates styrene-butadienes, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylchloride, acrylamids, phenolics and combinations thereof.

28. A panel comprising at least one layer of the reinforced aerogel composite sheet of claim 1 .

29. The panel of claim 28 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composite sheet is needled or sewn.

30. A panel comprising at least a first reinforced aerogel composite and a second reinforced aerogel composite, wherein the first reinforced aerogel composite comprises a reinforced aerogel composite sheet, the reinforced aerogel composite sheet comprising an aerogel and a segmented reinforcement sheet, wherein
at least one gap exists between at least two adjoining segments with discontinuity in at least the reinforcement sheet, and
the at least one gap faces the second reinforced aerogel composite;
the segmented reinforcement sheet has a length, a width, and a thickness,
the segmented reinfo

Assignees

• Aspen Aerogels Inc

Inventors

• Evans Owen R
• Melnikova Irene

Classifications

• Y10T428/24802

  Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.] · CPC title

• B32B38/08

  Impregnating · CPC title

• B32B5/245

  another layer next to it being a foam layer · CPC title

• C04B41/4537

  by the sol-gel process · CPC title

• B32B2255/02

  on fibrous or filamentary layer · CPC title