Thin aerogel materials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12100848-B2
Application number	US-202318528371-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2023
Priority date	Jun 23, 2014
Publication date	Sep 24, 2024
Grant date	Sep 24, 2024

Abstract

The present invention provides a fiber-reinforced aerogel material which can be used as insulation. The fiber-reinforced aerogel material is highly durable, flexible, and has a thermal performance that exceeds the insulation materials currently used. The fiber-reinforced aerogel insulation material can be as thin as 1 mm or less, and can have a thickness variation as low as 2% or less. Also provided is a method for improving the performance of a battery by incorporating a reinforced aerogel material into the battery. Further provided is a casting method for producing thin fiber-reinforced aerogel materials.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method for producing a reinforced aerogel composite, the method comprising:
combining a sol-gel solution and a reinforcement material;
applying pressure to the combined sol-gel solution and reinforcement, wherein the applied pressure defines a thickness of the combined sol-gel solution and reinforcement;
allowing the sol-gel solution to form a reinforced gel composite;
drying the reinforced gel composite to form a reinforced aerogel composite; and
wherein, responsive to the applied pressure, the reinforced aerogel composite has a thickness of from 0.75 millimeters (mm) to 10 mm and a thickness variation of less than 15%.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein combining a sol-gel solution and a reinforcement material further comprises combining the sol-gel solution and the reinforcement material within a casting frame on a casting surface.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein applying pressure further comprises:
placing a sheet on a side of the combined sol-gel solution and reinforcement material opposite the casting surface; and
applying pressure to the sheet.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the casting frame includes features to form one or more of holes, depressions, protrusions, and patterns in the reinforced aerogel composite.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement material comprises an open-cell foam reinforcement material.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement material comprises a fiber reinforcement material.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the fiber reinforcement material comprises discrete fibers, a woven material, a non-woven material, a batting, a web, a mat, a felt, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the fiber reinforcement material comprises glass-based fibers.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the fiber reinforcement material comprises silica-based fibers.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composition has a thermal conductivity in a range of about 12 mW/mK and about 20.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the fiber reinforcement material comprises ceramic fibers.

12. The method of claim 6 , wherein the fiber reinforcement material comprises polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers or oxidized PAN fibers.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thickness variation is less than 6%.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composition has a thermal conductivity of between about 12 mW/mK and about 50 mW/mK.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thickness variation is from 2% to less than 15%.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composition has a thermal conductivity of about 25 mW (milliWatts)/mK (meter-Kelvin) or less.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composition includes a silica-based framework.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composition includes an organic aerogel.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thickness is from 1 mm to 2 mm.

20. A method of forming a battery thermal insulating layer comprising:
fabricating a reinforced aerogel composite including;
combining a sol-gel solution and a reinforcement material;
applying pressure to the combined sol-gel solution and reinforcement, wherein the applied pressure defines a thickness of the combined sol-gel solution and reinforcement;
allowing the sol-gel solution to form a reinforced gel composite;
drying the reinforced gel composite to form a reinforced aerogel composite; and
wherein, responsive to the applied pressure, the reinforced aerogel composite has a thickness of from 0.75 millimeters (mm) to 10 mm and a thickness variation of less than 15%; and

incorporating the reinforced aerogel composition into a battery.

Assignees

• Aspen Aerogels Inc

Inventors

• Evans Owen
• Zafiropoulos Nicholas
• White Shannon
• Dong Wenting
• Rhine Wendell

Classifications

• H01M6/5072

  Preserving or storing cells · CPC title

• H01M6/36

  containing electrolyte and made operational by physical means, e.g. thermal cells · CPC title

• H01M50/116

  characterised by the material · CPC title

• H01M50/133 Primary

  Thickness · CPC title

• H01M50/124

  having a layered structure · CPC title