Fibrous Silica Aerogel Structure for Fracture-Resistant Transparency

Solution Overview

Problem

Silica aerogels are brittle and prone to fracture due to their high porosity and low-density structure, limiting their handleability and bending deformability, and existing modifications to enhance flexibility compromise visible light transparency or thermal insulating characteristics.

Innovation Solution

Aerogel with a fibrous skeleton in a mesh form, featuring polygonal outline parts with branch parts and nodes, and an increased average arrangement pitch between nodes, maintaining high transparency and thermal insulation while enhancing fracture resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the silica aerogel is made with high porosity and low-density structure, then thermal insulating characteristics are improved, but fracture resistance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal insulating characteristicsVSAvoidfracture resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the structural parameters of the aerogel skeleton by controlling the arrangement pitch between nodes to be 1.50 times or more the average diameter of inscribed circles, creating a optimized mesh structure that maintains low density while improving fracture resistance through geometric configuration rather than material composition changes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If organic components are introduced to improve bending deformability, then handleability is improved, but visible light transparency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebending deformabilityVSAvoidvisible light transparency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the structural parameters of the aerogel skeleton by controlling the arrangement pitch between nodes to be 1.50 times or more the average diameter of inscribed circles, creating a optimized mesh structure that maintains low density while improving fracture resistance through geometric configuration rather than material composition changes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite structure combining Si-containing components with a specifically designed mesh skeleton structure, where the skeleton geometry itself provides the necessary mechanical properties without requiring additional organic materials that would compromise transparency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Strength

If the skeleton density is increased to enhance fracture resistance, then strength is improved, but thermal insulating characteristics deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefracture resistanceVSAvoidthermal insulating characteristics

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the structural parameters of the aerogel skeleton by controlling the arrangement pitch between nodes to be 1.50 times or more the average diameter of inscribed circles, creating a optimized mesh structure that maintains low density while improving fracture resistance through geometric configuration rather than material composition changes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 aerogel exhibits excellent fracture resistance and high visible light transparency, even at increased thicknesses, with improved bending deformability and thermal insulating characteristics.

Implementation Method 1

an average arrangement pitch between adjacent nodes among the nodes constituting the pores being 1.50 times or more an average diameter of inscribed circles drawn at the nodes

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectStructural reinforcement through increased node arrangement pitch:

Implementation Method 2

high visible light transparency in addition to high thermal insulating characteristics obtained by low thermal conductivity, and is expected to be applied as a transparent thermal insulating material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight transmission through porous structure:

Implementation Method 3

extremely low thermal conductivity (20 mW/m K or less)... high thermal insulating characteristics obtained by low thermal conductivity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentUS20250361149A1aerogel

Publication Date: 2025.11.27 TIEM FAB INC

AI summary

An aerogel which exhibits excellent breaking resistance regardless of its thickness when deflection occurs, and which has high light transmitting properties. The aerogel contains Si, and is formed of a fibrous skeleton which is continuous in the form of a network, and a plurality of pores defined by the skeleton. The skeleton has polygonal outline parts which form the outlines of the plurality of pores. The outline parts each have a plurality of branch parts, which are portions corresponding to the sides of the polygonal shape, and a plurality of knot parts, which are portions corresponding to the vertices of the generally polygonal shape. The average arrangement pitch between adjacent knot parts among the knot parts constituting the pores is not less than 1.50 times the average diameter of inscribed circles inside the portions corresponding to knot parts.