Silicate Heat Protection Coating Stabilization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing translucent heat protection elements face challenges in processing and manufacturing costs, fire behavior, and light permeability or transparency, with known materials having unsatisfactory aging resistance and adhesion to carrier elements.

Innovation Solution

A translucent heat protection element with a protective layer made from precipitated silica, stabilized using polyols like ethylene glycol and glycerol, combined with polymonoalkylsiloxanes or polydialkylsiloxanes, which can be cast and hardened without drying, offering improved fire protection and optical properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a thin layer of alkali silicate is applied and dried to produce heat protection elements, then heat protection performance is improved, but manufacturing complexity and processing time increase due to the drying step

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat protection performanceVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the drying step from the manufacturing process by using pre-dried alkali silicate granules instead of applying and drying liquid alkali silicate. This eliminates the complex drying operation while maintaining the heat protection performance through the chemical reaction between the pre-dried granules and acidic components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The alkali silicate is pre-dried and granulated before being incorporated into the protective layer composition. This preliminary action of drying and granulating the alkali silicate beforehand eliminates the need for a subsequent drying step in the manufacturing process, simplifying production while ensuring consistent performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If commercial water glass or directly prepared alkali silicate solution is used, then material availability is improved, but aging resistance and adhesion to carrier elements deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial availabilityVSAvoidaging resistance and adhesion
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the physical state and preparation method of the alkali silicate from liquid solution to pre-dried granules. This parameter change in the form and preparation state of the alkali silicate improves both aging resistance and adhesion to carrier elements while maintaining material availability through standard industrial processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite protective layer combining pre-dried alkali silicate granules with specific binders and optional colloidal silicon dioxide. This composite material approach improves aging resistance and adhesion properties compared to using simple alkali silicate solutions, while the components remain commercially available.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of manufacture

If precipitated silica is used instead of pyrogenic SiO2, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but processing difficulty increases due to stabilization requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the particle size and surface properties of silica by using precipitated silica with controlled particle parameters instead of pyrogenic SiO2. This parameter change reduces material cost while the added stabilization components (polyols and siloxanes) manage the processing characteristics to maintain ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces intermediary substances (polyols and siloxanes) that stabilize the precipitated silica particles and facilitate their incorporation into the protective layer. These intermediaries mediate between the cost-effective precipitated silica and the processing requirements, reducing overall processing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If the protective layer is made with high water content alkali silicate, then fire protection performance is improved through foam expansion, but transparency and optical properties deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefire protection performanceVSAvoidtransparency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies local quality by using pre-dried alkali silicate granules that maintain their integrity and react locally when exposed to fire. This localized reaction approach allows the protective layer to maintain transparency in normal conditions while providing effective fire protection through controlled local foam expansion and chemical reactions at the fire interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 solution provides a protective layer with high aging resistance, optimized adhesion, and enhanced fire protection properties, while being cost-effective and maintaining transparency, as demonstrated by improved fire test results and reduced manufacturing complexity.

Implementation Method 1

the water contained in the alkali silicate layer evaporates

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 2

the protective layer made of alkali silicate foams

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFoaming: Foam

Implementation Method 3

provides effective protection against unwanted heat transfer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Implementation Method 4

stabilized using polyols like ethylene glycol and glycerol, combined with polymonoalkylsiloxanes or polydialkylsiloxanes

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChemical bonding: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 5

optimized adhesion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP2607074B1Materials for producing transparent heat protection elements and light protection elements produced using such materials, and method for the production thereof
Publication Date: 2013.11.27 GEVARTIS

AI summary

A heat protection element comprising at least one support element and a protective layer is described. The protective layer is an aqueous silicate composition obtainable from alkali metal oxide and an aqueous dispersion containing silicon dioxide, characterized in that it contains the silicon dioxide in the form of (i) precipitated silica or (ii) pyrogenic silica and/or precipitated silica and silica sol. Such a dispersion is stabilized by the addition of polyol and alkali hydroxide, in particular potassium hydroxide, and is preferably solidified by the addition of potassium hydroxide solution.