Forming method of aerogel heat insulation part

By using integral molding of fiber preforms and a two-step vacuum-assisted sol-gel method, the processing difficulty and molding quality issues of thin aerogel insulation parts have been solved, achieving net-size molding without machining and high-quality products.

CN121893564APending Publication Date: 2026-04-21HUBEI SANJIANG AEROSPACE GRP HONGYANG ELECTROMECHANICAL
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
HUBEI SANJIANG AEROSPACE GRP HONGYANG ELECTROMECHANICAL
Filing Date
2026-03-17
Publication Date
2026-04-21

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing technologies present significant challenges in machining thin aerogel insulation components, resulting in poor product molding quality and stability. In particular, thin aerogel insulation components with a thickness of less than 3 mm are prone to cracking due to fiber breakage.

Method used

The method employs integral molding of fiber preforms and a two-step vacuum-assisted sol-gel molding process. The fiber preforms are formed by needle punching, and the solution is compounded using a porous pressure plate and a vacuum box. Combined with the release cloth for sewing, the net size is achieved and the sol is uniformly filled, avoiding fiber breakage and localized insufficient casting.

Benefits of technology

It enables the net-size molding of thin aerogel insulation parts without machining, maintains fiber integrity, has high product thickness accuracy, and a smooth surface, avoiding cracking and porosity defects, thus improving molding quality and service stability.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention discloses a forming method of an aerogel heat insulation part, which comprises the following steps: selecting a needling die, a forming die and a porous pressing plate according to the shape and the size of a target heat insulation part, needling and forming a fiber preform on the needling die, coating the preform with demolding cloth, and sewing at the edge; the prefabricated body is arranged in a forming mold, the mold gap is adjusted twice, two-step vacuum-assisted sol-gel dipping compounding is conducted, gel aging, solvent replacement and supercritical drying are completed together with the mold, and a finished product is obtained after demolding. According to the method, machining is not needed, fiber completeness can be kept, thin part machining cracking is effectively avoided, the product thickness precision and surface flatness are improved, the defects of air holes, insufficient pouring and the like are overcome, and the method is suitable for preparing thin aerogel heat insulation parts of various structures.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of aerogel preparation technology, and particularly relates to a molding method for an aerogel thermal insulation component. Background Technology

[0002] Aerogel is a lightweight material with a nanoporous structure, and its excellent thermal insulation properties have led to its widespread application in aerospace and many other fields. The common process for manufacturing aerogel insulation components involves first molding a blank using a mold, followed by machining to obtain the desired dimensions and structure. However, for thin aerogel insulation components, especially those less than 3mm thick, this method presents significant processing limitations. Machining cuts the internal fiber preforms, and since the aerogel matrix is ​​brittle, the cut fibers are prone to localized problems such as excessively short fiber length and insufficient bonding strength with the matrix material, leading to product cracking. This not only significantly increases the processing difficulty of thin aerogel insulation components but also makes it difficult to guarantee the product's molding quality and operational stability. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application aims to at least partially solve the technical problems of high processing difficulty and poor molding quality and stability of aerogel insulation components. To this end, this application provides a method for molding thin aerogel insulation components to their net dimensions.

[0004] This application provides a method for molding an aerogel insulation component, which involves forming an aerogel insulation component from fiber raw materials and aerogel. The method includes the following steps: needle-punching the fiber raw material onto a needle-punching die to form a fiber preform, wherein the needle-punching die is determined based on the shape and size of the aerogel insulation component; placing the fiber preform on a molding device; adding a first solution to the integral formed by the fiber preform and the molding device to form a gel skeleton, wherein the molding device is determined based on the shape and size of the aerogel insulation component; and adding a second solution to the gel skeleton to form the aerogel insulation component, wherein the concentration of the sol in the first solution is less than the concentration of the sol in the second solution.

[0005] In one possible implementation, the molding device includes a molding die and a pressure plate, with the fiber preform disposed between the molding die and the pressure plate, the pressure plate having a plurality of through holes.

[0006] In one possible implementation, in the step of adding the first solution to the fiber preform, the distance between the molding die and the pressure plate is a first distance; in the step of adding the second solution to the gel skeleton, the distance between the molding die and the pressure plate is a second distance, and the first distance is greater than the second distance.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the molding apparatus further includes a vacuum chamber and a drying chamber. After adding the first solution to the fiber preform, a vacuum is drawn in the vacuum chamber to fully combine the first solution with the fibers in the fiber preform. The gel is allowed to stand and form the gel skeleton. Then, excess gel on the surface of the gel skeleton is removed, and the preform is placed in the dryer for drying.

[0008] In one possible implementation, after adding the second solution to the gel matrix, a vacuum is drawn in the vacuum chamber to fully combine the second solution with the fibers in the fiber preform, and the gel is allowed to stand to fill the gel matrix.

[0009] In one possible implementation, after the gel skeleton is filled, it undergoes gel aging, solution replacement, and supercritical drying, and the molding device is removed to obtain the aerogel insulation component.

[0010] In one possible implementation, a first release fabric is laid on the needle-punching mold, and the fiber preform is needle-punched on the needle-punching mold. Then, a second release fabric is laid on the surface of the fiber preform, and the first and second release fabrics are sewn together at the edges of the fiber preform. During the molding and filling process of the gel skeleton, the fiber preform is fixed to the first and second release fabrics. After removing the molding device, the first and second release fabrics, the aerogel insulation is obtained.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the aerogel insulation is a plate of uniform thickness, the thickness of the aerogel insulation is a first thickness D, the first thickness D ranges from 0.5 mm to 5 mm; and / or, the thickness of the release fabric is a second thickness d, the second thickness d ranges from 0.05 mm to 0.1 mm; and / or, the first distance ranges from 130%D to 160%D+2d; and / or, the second distance ranges from 105%D to 110%D+2d.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the first solution is a dilution of the second solution, and the mass percentage of the sol in the first solution is 10%-30% of the mass percentage of the sol in the second solution; and / or, both the first solution and the second solution contain the sol used in preparing silica, alumina, zirconium oxide, or their composite aerogels; and / or, the fiber preform is alkali-free fiber, aluminosilicate fiber, rock wool, high-silica fiber, quartz fiber, mullite fiber, alumina fiber felt, or a mixture of two or more of the above fibers; and / or, the needle-punching mold is made of polyurethane foam or cork; and / or, the molding mold and the pressure plate are made of stainless steel; and / or, the release cloth is made of polytetrafluoroethylene.

[0013] The molding method provided in this application has the following beneficial effects: The fiber preform is directly molded to the final product dimensions, maintaining fiber continuity and integrity throughout the process without any mechanical cutting. The release liner stitching prevents fiber scattering and deformation during transfer and molding, ensuring the preform dimensions match the product's net dimensions and preventing matrix cracking caused by fiber breakage from the outset. Two gap adjustments ensure the final product thickness after sol filling matches the design value, achieving net-size molding without subsequent machining. The through-holes in the porous pressure plate allow for uniform sol distribution across the entire preform surface, preventing localized underfilling. The two-step impregnation process—dilute sol first forming the aerogel framework, then the concentrated sol filling remaining pores—ensures uniform density of the aerogel matrix, preventing porosity and looseness defects. Simultaneously, the two gelation steps gradually increase the bonding strength between the matrix and fibers, further reducing the risk of cracking.

[0014] This application also provides an aerogel thermal insulation component, which is prepared using the above-described molding method. The aerogel thermal insulation component is a flat plate, an arc-shaped plate, or an irregularly shaped plate, or any one of a straight cylinder, a frustum-shaped cone, a multi-faceted frustum-shaped cone, or an irregularly shaped cylinder that can be fitted together. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the process flow for a net-size molding method of a thin aerogel thermal insulation component provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of a molding process provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0017] Figure label: 1-Fiber preform; 2-Release fabric; 3-Pressure plate; 4-Molding mold; 5-Release fabric stitching. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] It should be noted that all directional indications in the embodiments of this invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly. In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection" and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be the internal connection of two components or the interaction relationship between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention can be understood according to the specific circumstances. In addition, the descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., in this invention are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0020] The common process for manufacturing aerogel insulation components involves first molding a blank using a mold, and then machining it to obtain the desired size and structure. However, for thin aerogel insulation components, especially those less than 3mm thick, this manufacturing method has significant processing limitations. During machining, the internal fiber preforms are cut. Since the aerogel matrix itself is brittle, the cut fibers are prone to localized problems such as excessively short fiber length and insufficient bonding strength with the matrix material, leading to product cracking. This not only significantly increases the processing difficulty of thin aerogel insulation components but also makes it difficult to guarantee the molding quality and stability of the product in use.

[0021] This application provides a molding method for aerogel insulation components. This method is applicable to flat plates, curved plates, irregularly shaped plates, and nestable straight cylinders, conical cylinders, frustum-shaped cylinders, and other nestable irregularly shaped cylinders. The method employs net-size molding without machining, preserving the integrity of the fiber material and effectively avoiding cracking during the processing of thin aerogels. It utilizes integral molding of the fiber preform and a two-step vacuum-assisted sol-gel molding process, improving the thickness accuracy and surface smoothness after net-size molding; and effectively avoiding defects such as porosity and incomplete casting.

[0022] This application is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments: Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the process flow for a molding method of an aerogel thermal insulation component provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a molding process provided in an embodiment of this application. This application provides a method for molding an aerogel insulation component, used to form an aerogel insulation component from fiber raw materials and aerogel, including the following steps: The fiber raw material is needle-punched into a fiber preform 1 on a needle-punching die, wherein the needle-punching die is determined based on the shape and size of the aerogel insulation; the fiber preform is placed on a molding device, and a first solution is added to the fiber preform 1 and the molding device to form a gel skeleton, wherein the molding device is determined based on the shape and size of the aerogel insulation; a second solution is added to the gel skeleton to form an aerogel insulation, wherein the concentration of the sol in the first solution is less than the concentration of the sol in the second solution.

[0023] In this embodiment, the molding device includes a molding mold 4 and a pressure plate 3. The fiber preform 1 is disposed between the molding mold 4 and the pressure plate 3, and the pressure plate 3 has multiple through holes. That is, the pressure plate 3 is a porous pressure plate, which helps the sol to uniformly enter the pores of the fiber preform 1.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the fiber preform 1 can be laid or fitted onto the molding mold 4 first, and then the pressure plate 3 can be assembled onto the fiber preform 1.

[0025] In this embodiment, during the step of adding the first solution to the fiber preform 1, the distance between the molding mold 4 and the pressure plate 3 is a first distance X1; during the step of adding the second solution to the gel skeleton, the distance between the molding mold 4 and the pressure plate 3 is a second distance X2, and the first distance X1 is greater than the second distance X2. Therefore, the two gap adjustments ensure that the final thickness of the product after sol filling is consistent with the design value, achieving net-size molding without the need for subsequent machining.

[0026] In this embodiment, the molding apparatus further includes a vacuum chamber and a drying chamber. After adding a first solution to the fiber preform 1, a vacuum is drawn in the vacuum chamber to fully combine the first solution with the fibers in the fiber preform 1. The gel is allowed to stand and form a gel skeleton. Then, excess gel on the surface of the gel skeleton is removed, and the preform is placed in a dryer for drying. Specifically, the relative vacuum degree of the vacuum chamber is maintained below -0.08 MPa, the drying temperature of the dryer is 40℃-150℃, and the holding time is 6 h-48 h.

[0027] In this embodiment, after adding the second solution to the gel matrix, a vacuum chamber is evacuated to ensure that the second solution fully combines with the fibers in the fiber preform 1, and the gel is allowed to stand to fill the gel matrix. Specifically, the relative vacuum degree of the vacuum chamber is maintained below -0.08 MPa.

[0028] In this embodiment, after the gel skeleton is filled, gel aging and solution replacement are performed, followed by supercritical drying. The molding device is then removed to obtain the aerogel insulation component. Specifically, the supercritical drying is alcohol-based supercritical drying.

[0029] In this embodiment, a first release cloth 2 is laid on the needle-punching mold, and a fiber preform 1 is needle-punched on the needle-punching mold. Then, a second release cloth 2 is laid on the surface of the fiber preform. The first release cloth 2 and the second release cloth 2 are sewn together at the edge of the fiber preform 1. During the molding and filling process of the gel skeleton, the fiber preform 1 is fixed to the first release cloth 2 and the second release cloth 2. After removing the molding device, the first release cloth 1 and the second release cloth 2, the aerogel insulation component is obtained.

[0030] In this embodiment, the aerogel insulation component is a plate of uniform thickness, and the thickness of the aerogel insulation component is a first thickness D, which ranges from 0.5 mm to 5 mm; the thickness of the release cloth is a second thickness d, which ranges from 0.05 mm to 0.1 mm; the first distance X1 ranges from 130%D to 160%D+2d; and the second distance X2 ranges from 105%D to 110%D+2d.

[0031] In this embodiment, the first solution is a dilution of the second solution, and the mass percentage of the sol in the first solution is 10%-30% of the mass percentage of the sol in the second solution; both the first and second solutions contain the sol used in the preparation of silica, alumina, zirconium oxide, or their composite aerogels; the fiber preform 1 is an alkali-free fiber, aluminosilicate fiber, rock wool, high-silica fiber, quartz fiber, mullite fiber, alumina fiber felt, or a mixture of two or more of the above fibers; the needle-punching mold is made of polyurethane foam or cork; the molding mold 4 and the pressure plate 3 are made of stainless steel; and the release cloth is made of polytetrafluoroethylene.

[0032] It is understandable that the aerogel in the aerogel insulation component is any one of silica, alumina, zirconium oxide, or composite aerogel.

[0033] In one possible implementation, both the first solution and the second solution include a sol and a gel catalyst, and the diluent for the first solution is the solvent used when preparing the sol portion of the second solution.

[0034] In one possible implementation, for cylindrical insulation components, the pressure plate 3 can be designed as a segmented assembly.

[0035] In one possible implementation, the first distance X1 and the second distance X2 can be adjusted by placing a pad between the molding die 4 and the pressure plate 3 and by using screws.

[0036] The molding method for aerogel thermal insulation components provided in this application has the following beneficial effects: On the one hand, the fiber preform 1 is directly formed according to the final size of the product, and the fiber remains continuous and intact throughout the process without mechanical cutting of the fiber; the release cloth sewing 5 covers and avoids fiber scattering and shape deformation during the transfer and molding process of the preform, ensuring that the size of the preform is consistent with the net size of the product, and avoiding the problem of matrix cracking caused by fiber breakage from the source.

[0037] On the other hand, the two gap adjustments ensure that the final thickness of the product after sol filling is consistent with the design value, achieving net-size molding without the need for subsequent machining. On the other hand, the through holes of the porous pressure plate 3 allow the sol to be evenly injected onto the entire surface of the preform, avoiding localized insufficient injection; the two-step impregnation, first with dilute sol and then with concentrated sol, ensures the uniform density of the aerogel matrix by first forming the skeleton of the aerogel with the dilute sol and then filling the remaining pores with the concentrated sol, thus avoiding defects such as pores and looseness. At the same time, the two-step gelation gradually improves the bonding force between the matrix and the fiber, further reducing the risk of cracking.

[0038] This application also provides an aerogel thermal insulation component, prepared using the molding method described in the above embodiments. The aerogel thermal insulation component is a flat plate, an arc-shaped plate, or an irregularly shaped plate, or any of the following: a straight cylinder, a frustum-shaped cone, a multi-faceted frustum-shaped cone, or an irregularly shaped cylinder that can be fitted together. Specific embodiments will be described below using a frustum-shaped quartz fiber reinforced silica aerogel thermal insulation component with a wall thickness of 2 mm as the target product.

[0039] First, according to the shape and size of the target product, design and manufacture a wooden needle-punching mold, a stainless steel forming mold 4, and a porous pressure plate 3, wherein the porous pressure plate 3 is designed as three uniform lobes. First, lay a 0.06mm thick polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) release cloth 2 on the needle-punching mold, then needle-punch the quartz fiber preform 1, and finally lay another 0.06mm thick PTFE release cloth 2 on the surface. Sew the inner and outer layers of PTFE release cloth 5 together at the end face of the fiber preform 1. Gently pull the release cloth 2 from the small end to remove the quartz fiber preform 1 from the needle-punching core mold; gently pull the release cloth 2 from the large end to install the fiber preform 1 onto the forming mold 4 from the small end, and then install the porous pressure plate 3. The first gap distance X1 is set to 3. mm; Prepare a first silica sol using anhydrous ethanol as a solvent, dilute with anhydrous ethanol to obtain a second sol with a first isotropic content of 20wt%. Place the assembled molding mold 4 in a container, add a gel catalyst to the second sol and inject it into the container. The second sol enters the pores of the fiber preform 1 for impregnation and composite. Move the entire container into a vacuum chamber, evacuate to ensure the second sol and fiber are fully composited, maintain the relative vacuum degree below -0.08 MPa, and allow it to stand for gelation. Remove the entire molding mold 4 from the container, remove excess gel from the surface, and place the entire mold in a drying oven to dry at 120℃ for 12 h. Set the second distance X2 between the molding mold 4 and the porous pressure plate 3 to 2.3. mm, assemble the porous pressure plate 3; place the assembled molding mold 4 into the container again, add the gel catalyst to the first sol and inject it into the container, the first sol enters the pores of the fiber preform 1 for impregnation and composite, move the entire container into the vacuum box, evacuate to fully composite the first sol with the fiber, keep the relative vacuum degree below -0.08 MPa, and let it stand to gel; together with the mold, perform gel aging and solvent replacement, and then supercritical drying; after taking it out of the kettle, disassemble the porous pressure plate 3, remove the stitching of the release cloth 2, remove the release cloth 2, and obtain a truncated cone-shaped quartz fiber reinforced silica aerogel heat insulation part with a wall thickness of 2 mm. The wall thickness is measured to be 2 mm ± 0.1 mm. The product is uniform, the surface is flat, and there are no obvious pits or wrinkles.

[0040] The following will describe a specific embodiment of the target product, which is an S-shaped arc-shaped mullite fiber reinforced aluminum-silicon composite aerogel thermal insulation component with a wall thickness of 1mm.

[0041] First, according to the shape and size of the target product, design and manufacture a needle-punching mold made of polyurethane foam material, a stainless steel forming mold 4, and a porous pressure plate 3; first, lay a 0.1 mm thick layer of polytetrafluoroethylene release cloth 2 on the wooden needle-punching mold, then needle-punch and form the mullite fiber preform 1, and finally lay a 0.1 mm thick layer of release cloth on the surface. A PTFE release cloth 2 with a thickness of mm is used. The upper and lower layers of release cloth are sewn together at the edges. The mullite fiber preform 1 and the release cloth 2 are placed together on the molding mold 4, and a porous pressure plate 3 is installed. The first gap distance X1 is set to 1.8 mm. An alumina-silicon composite sol is prepared using anhydrous ethanol as a solvent. Anhydrous ethanol is added to dilute the sol to a second sol with a content of 30 wt%. The assembled molding mold 4 is placed in a container. The second sol, after adding a gelation catalyst, is injected into the container. The second sol enters the pores of the fiber preform 1 for impregnation and composite bonding. The entire container is moved into a vacuum chamber, and a vacuum is drawn to ensure the second sol and fiber are fully bonded. The relative vacuum degree is maintained below -0.08 MPa, and the gel is allowed to stand. The molding mold 4 is removed from the container, excess gel is removed from the surface, and the entire mold is placed in a drying oven to dry at 80℃ for 24 hours. The second gap distance X2 between the molding mold 4 and the porous pressure plate 3 is set to 1.3 mm. mm, assemble the porous pressure plate 3; place the assembled molding mold 4 into the container again, add the gel catalyst to the first sol and inject it into the container, the first sol enters the pores of the fiber preform 1 for impregnation and composite, move the entire container into the vacuum box, evacuate to make the first sol fully composite with the fiber, keep the relative vacuum degree below -0.08 MPa, and let it stand to gel; together with the mold, perform gel aging and solvent replacement, and then supercritical drying; after taking it out of the kettle, disassemble the porous pressure plate 3, remove the stitching of the release cloth 2, remove the release cloth 2, and obtain an S-shaped arc-shaped mullite fiber reinforced aluminum silicon composite aerogel heat insulation part with a wall thickness of 1 mm. The wall thickness is measured to be 1 mm ± 0.1 mm. The product is uniform, the surface is flat, and there are no obvious pits or wrinkles.

[0042] The following will describe a specific embodiment of the target product, a multi-faceted frustum-shaped high-silica fiber-reinforced silica aerogel thermal insulation component with a wall thickness of 4mm.

[0043] First, according to the shape and size of the target product, design and manufacture a wooden needle-punching mold, a stainless steel forming mold 4, and a porous pressure plate 3. The porous pressure plate 3 is designed with multiple petals based on the shape of a multi-faceted frustum. First, lay a 0.06 mm thick polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) release cloth 2 on the needle-punching mold, then needle-punch and form the quartz fiber preform 1. Finally, lay another 0.06 mm thick PTFE release cloth 2 on the surface. Sew the two layers of PTFE release cloth 5 together at the end face of the fiber preform 1. Gently pull the release cloth 2 from the small end of the frustum to remove the quartz fiber preform 1 from the needle-punching core mold. Gently pull the release cloth 2 to install the fiber preform 1 onto the forming mold 4, and then install the porous pressure plate 3. The first gap distance X1 is set to 5.4. mm; Prepare a first silica sol using anhydrous ethanol as a solvent, and dilute it with anhydrous ethanol to obtain a second sol with a first sol content of 15wt%. Place the assembled molding mold 4 in a container, add a gel catalyst to the second sol and inject it into the container. The second sol enters the pores of the fiber preform 1 for impregnation and composite. Move the entire container into a vacuum chamber, evacuate to ensure the second sol and fiber are fully composited, and maintain a relative vacuum degree below -0.08 MPa. Allow the gel to stand. Remove the entire molding mold 4 from the container, remove excess gel from the surface, and place the entire mold in a drying oven to dry at 120℃ for 12 h. Set the second gap between the molding mold 4 and the porous pressure plate 3 to 4.4 mm, and assemble the porous pressure plate 3. Place the assembled molding mold 4 into the container again, add a gel catalyst to the first sol and inject it into the container. The first sol enters the pores of the fiber preform 1 for impregnation and composite. Move the entire container into a vacuum chamber, evacuate to ensure the first sol and fiber are fully composited, and maintain a relative vacuum degree below -0.08 MPa. Below MPa, the gel is allowed to stand and gel. The gel is aged and solvent replaced together with the mold, and then supercritical dried. After being taken out of the autoclave, the porous pressure plate 3 is removed, the sutures of the release cloth 2 are removed, and the release cloth 2 is removed to obtain a multi-faceted frustum-shaped high silica fiber reinforced silica aerogel insulation part with a wall thickness of 4mm. The wall thickness is measured to be 4 mm ± 0.1mm. The product is uniform, with a smooth surface and no obvious pits or wrinkles.

[0044] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification.

[0045] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only if they are based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

[0046] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for molding an aerogel thermal insulation component, characterized in that, The method for producing aerogel insulation from fiber raw materials and aerogel includes the following steps: The fiber raw material is needle-punched into a fiber preform on a needle-punching die, wherein the needle-punching die is determined based on the shape and size of the aerogel insulation; The fiber preform is placed in a molding device, and a first solution is added to the fiber preform and the molding device to form a gel skeleton, wherein the molding device is determined based on the shape and size of the aerogel insulation; A second solution is added to the gel skeleton to form the aerogel insulation, wherein the concentration of the sol in the first solution is less than the concentration of the sol in the second solution.

2. The molding method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The forming device includes a forming mold and a pressure plate, the fiber preform is disposed between the forming mold and the pressure plate, and the pressure plate has multiple through holes.

3. The molding method according to claim 2, characterized in that, In the step of adding the first solution to the fiber preform, the distance between the molding mold and the pressing plate is a first distance; in the step of adding the second solution to the gel skeleton, the distance between the molding mold and the pressing plate is a second distance, and the first distance is greater than the second distance.

4. The molding method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The molding apparatus further includes a vacuum chamber and a drying chamber. After adding the first solution to the fiber preform, a vacuum is drawn in the vacuum chamber to fully combine the first solution with the fibers in the fiber preform. The gel is allowed to stand and form the gel skeleton. Then, excess gel on the surface of the gel skeleton is removed and the preform is placed in the dryer for drying.

5. The molding method according to claim 4, characterized in that, After adding the second solution to the gel matrix, a vacuum is drawn in the vacuum chamber to fully combine the second solution with the fibers in the fiber preform, and the gel is allowed to stand to fill the gel matrix.

6. The molding method according to claim 4, characterized in that, After the gel skeleton is filled, it undergoes gel aging and solution replacement, followed by supercritical drying, and the molding device is removed to obtain the aerogel insulation component.

7. The molding method according to any one of claims 3-6, characterized in that, A first release fabric is laid on the needle-punching mold, and the fiber preform is needle-punched on the needle-punching mold. Then, a second release fabric is laid on the surface of the fiber preform. The first and second release fabrics are sewn together at the edge of the fiber preform. During the molding and filling of the gel skeleton, the fiber preform is fixed to the first and second release fabrics. After removing the molding device, the first and second release fabrics, the aerogel insulation is obtained.

8. The molding method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The aerogel insulation component is a plate of uniform thickness, and the thickness of the aerogel insulation component is a first thickness D, the first thickness D ranging from 0.5 mm to 5 mm; and / or, The thickness of the release fabric is a second thickness d, which ranges from 0.05 mm to 0.1 mm; and / or, The first distance ranges from 130%D to 160%D+2d; and / or, The range of the second distance is 105%D to 110%D+2d.

9. The molding method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first solution is a dilution of the second solution, and the mass percentage of the sol in the first solution is 10%-30% of the mass percentage of the sol in the second solution; and / or, Both the first and second solutions contain the sol used in the preparation of silica, alumina, zirconium oxide, or their composite aerogels; and / or, The fiber preform is composed of alkali-free fiber, aluminosilicate fiber, rock wool, high-silica fiber, quartz fiber, mullite fiber, alumina fiber felt, or a mixture of two or more of the above fibers; and / or, The needle-punching die is made of either polyurethane foam or cork; and / or, The forming mold and the pressure plate are made of stainless steel; and / or, The release cloth is made of polytetrafluoroethylene.

10. An aerogel thermal insulation component, prepared using the molding method according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The aerogel insulation component is a flat plate, an arc-shaped plate, or an irregularly shaped plate, or any one of the following: a straight cylinder, a frustum-shaped cylinder, a multi-faceted frustum-shaped cylinder, or an irregularly shaped cylinder that can be fitted together.