Aerogel Blanket Structure for Flexibility Without Strength Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manufacturing methods for silica aerogel blankets face challenges in adjusting the flexural modulus to enhance flexibility while maintaining mechanical physical properties and thermal insulation, leading to decreased processability and increased costs due to complex and solvent-intensive processes.
Innovation Solution
A method that simultaneously performs the gelation and surface modification steps, using a hydrophobizing agent to control the aerogel structure size, resulting in a spider web-like structure with a reduced average aerogel structure size (D50) of 5 μm to 10 μm, which decreases the flexural modulus and increases flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the aerogel structure size is reduced to improve flexibility, then the flexural modulus decreases and flexibility increases, but the mechanical strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure combining aerogel particles with a binder material to create a blanket that maintains mechanical strength while achieving the desired flexibility. The aerogel particles provide thermal insulation and the binder provides structural integrity, allowing reduced aerogel structure size without compromising overall mechanical properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the porous nature of aerogel materials with controlled pore sizes to maintain mechanical strength through the three-dimensional network structure of silica particles, while the overall reduced aerogel structure size (5-10 μm) enables flexibility. The porous structure allows the material to deform without collapsing the internal framework.
2Stability of the object's composition
If traditional surface modification and aging steps are performed separately to ensure proper aerogel formation, then the structure is reinforced, but the process complexity and manufacturing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the surface modification step and the aging step into a single integrated process. The hydrophobizing agent is added to the silica sol before gelation, allowing simultaneous surface modification and structure reinforcement without requiring separate processing steps, thereby reducing process complexity while maintaining aerogel stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The surface modification is performed preliminarily during the gelation process rather than as a subsequent step. By incorporating the hydrophobizing agent in the initial silica sol preparation, the surface modification occurs concurrently with gel formation, eliminating the need for separate aging and modification steps.
3Strength
If traditional manufacturing methods are used to maintain mechanical properties, then the tensile strength is sufficient, but the flexural modulus remains high reducing processability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the critical parameter of aerogel structure size to 5-10 μm, which fundamentally alters the mechanical properties of the blanket. This parameter change reduces the flexural modulus and improves processability while the binder system maintains adequate tensile strength, enabling both handling flexibility and structural integrity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The approach improves the aerogel blanket's flexibility and processability while maintaining excellent mechanical physical properties, thermal insulation, and durability, reducing the need for additional solvents and simplifying the manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
an aerogel structure and a substrate for a blanket, wherein the aerogel structure includes a three-dimensional network structure formed by a plurality of aerogel particles aggregated or bonded
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an aerogel blanket including an aerogel structure and a substrate for a blanket, wherein the aerogel structure includes a three-dimensional network structure formed by a plurality of aerogel particles aggregated or bonded, and an average aerogel structure size (D50) measured by spraying 10 ml of dry powder of the aerogel structure with air at a pressure of 15 psi, and using laser diffraction of 780 nm wavelength is 5 μm to 10 μm.