Effects of non-ideal structures and high temperatures on the insulation properties of aerogel-based composite materials

The multi-scale, temperature related structural characteristics of aerogel-based composite insulation materials that contain nano-scale aerogels, as well as micron-scale fibers, opacifiers and cracks were evaluated using various instruments for 300 to 1423 K. The structural tests were used to develop a three-dimensional multi-scale microstructure model to investigate the effects of non-ideal structures and high temperatures on the insulation performance of aeogel-based composite materials. The predictions agree well with experimental with literature. The model, thus provides theoretic guidelines for manufacturing with optimal parameters, such as the type, loading, and distribution of fibers and opacifiers. The structural analysis shows that the insulation performance of the composite materials degrades significantly with the deformation of the pore structure at high temperatures conditions. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.