Granted Patent B2

US 7,833,916 · App. 11/174,117 · Granted Nov 16, 2010

Abstract

Claims (132)

1. A material comprising a component permeable to water vapor and substantially impervious to water, in a sheet or substantially planar form comprising essentially two planar surfaces wherein one surface is attached to a monolithic aerogel.

2. A material comprising a component permeable to water vapor and substantially impervious to water, in a sheet or substantially planar form comprising essentially two planar surfaces wherein one surface is attached to a monolithic aerogel, wherein

a) said component permeable to water vapor is substantially impervious to air and optionally in a building wrap form; or

b) said component permeable to water vapor is a polymeric material substantially impervious to air and water, and said material is optionally in a building wrap form; or

c) said material is breathable and further comprises a fibrous support material; or

d) said component is present as two breathable layers; or

e) said component permeable to water vapor is a cellulosic material.

3. The material of claim 1 further comprising a component to protect against ultraviolet radiation or ozone; or

wherein the material has thermal insulation properties; or

wherein the material provides acoustic insulation; or

wherein the aerogel is hydrophilic; or

wherein the aerogel is hydrophobic; or

wherein the aerogel is water repellant; or

wherein the water vapor permeability is unidirectional; or

wherein the water vapor permeability is bidirectional; or

further comprising a structural component; or

wherein the water vapor permeable material is perforated; or

wherein the water vapor permeable material comprises a polyolefin, optionally in a microporous composite form; or

further comprising a resin; or

further comprising an adhesive; or

wherein the material is translucent; or

further comprising a polyurethane component; or

further comprising a fiber glass component; or

further comprising a fibrous component; or

further comprising a fibrous material, optionally in a mat, a felt or a batting form; or

further comprising at least a component selected from polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, expanded polystyrene, polyester, acrylic, polycarbonate, fluoropolymers, fluorinated urethane, PTFE, expanded PTFE, phenol-formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde, a phenolic resin, carbon black, carbon, or copolymers thereof, wood, gypsum, or combinations thereof; or

wherein the components are laminated to each other with an adhesive; or

wherein the components are laminated with heat; or

wherein said material has a high water vapor transfer rate (WVTR); or

wherein said material has a water vapor transfer rate(WVTR) of at least 1 perm; or

wherein said material is in a building wrap form; or

wherein the water vapor permeable component is breathable and has a thickness of about 0.25 mils to about 1000 mils; or

wherein the thermal insulation R value of said material is at least 2 per inch; or further comprising a mold or mildew resistant agent.

4. The material of claim 2 further comprising a component to protect against ultraviolet radiation or ozone; or

wherein the material has thermal insulation properties; or

wherein the material provides acoustic insulation; or

wherein the aerogel is hydrophilic; or

wherein the aerogel is hydrophobic; or

wherein the aerogel is water repellant; or

wherein the water vapor permeability is unidirectional; or

wherein the water vapor permeability is bidirectional; or

further comprising a structural component; or

wherein the water vapor permeable material is perforated; or

wherein the water vapor permeable material comprises a polyolefin, optionally in a microporous composite form; or

further comprising a resin; or

further comprising an adhesive; or

wherein the material is translucent; or

further comprising a polyurethane component; or

further comprising a fiber glass component; or

further comprising a fibrous component; or

further comprising a fibrous material, optionally in a mat, a felt or a batting form; or

further comprising at least a component selected from polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, expanded polystyrene, polyester, acrylic, polycarbonate, fluoropolymers, fluorinated urethane, PTFE, expanded PTFE, phenol-formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde, a phenolic resin, carbon black, carbon, or copolymers thereof, wood, gypsum, or combinations thereof; or

wherein the components are laminated to each other with an adhesive; or

wherein the components are laminated with heat; or

wherein said material has a high water vapor transfer rate (WVTR); or

wherein said material has a water vapor transfer rate(WVTR) of at least 1 perm; or

wherein said material is in a building wrap form; or

wherein the water vapor permeable component is breathable and has a thickness of about 0.25 mils to about 1000 mils; or

wherein the thermal insulation R value of said material is at least 2 per inch; or further comprising a mold or mildew resistant agent.

5. A building element comprising the material of claim 1 .

6. A building element comprising the material of claim 2 .

7. A building element comprising the material of claim 1 wherein said material is a roofing material or a flooring material; or wherein said element is a wall element.

8. A building element comprising the material of claim 2 wherein said material is a roofing material or a flooring material; or wherein said element is a wall element.

9. A material comprising a monolithic aerogel wherein the water vapor transfer rate of said material is at least about 5 perms and said material is substantially impervious to water.

10. A method of manufacturing a material of claim 1 comprising:

a) providing a component permeable to water vapor and substantially impervious to air and water; and combining the component with at least an aerogel; or

b) providing at least a polymeric component permeable to water vapor and substantially impervious to air and water; and combining the polymeric component with at least an aerogel; or

c) providing at least a fibrous support material; providing at least a component permeable to water vapor and substantially impervious to water; and combining said fibrous support material and said component with at least an aerogel; or

d) providing at least a fibrous support material; providing at least a component permeable to water vapor and substantially impervious to water; combining said fibrous material with at least an aerogel; and laminating said combination with said component; or

e) providing at least a cellulosic component permeable to water vapor and substantially impermeable to water; and combining said cellulosic component with at least an aerogel.

11. A method of weatherizing a building comprising providing at least a material of claim 1 in the envelope of the building.

12. A method of weatherizing a building comprising providing at least a material of claim 2 in the envelope of the building.

13. The method of claim 10

wherein said material further comprises a component to protect ultraviolet radiation or ozone; or

wherein said material has thermal insulation properties; or

wherein said material provides acoustic insulation; or

wherein the aerogel is hydrophilic; or

wherein the aerogel is hydrophobic; or

wherein the aerogel is water repellant; or

wherein the water vapor permeability is unidirectional; or

wherein the water vapor permeability is bidirectional; or

wherein said material further comprises a structural component; or

wherein the water vapor permeable component is perforated; or

wherein the water vapor permeable component comprises a polyolefin, optionally in a microporous composite form; or

wherein said material further comprises a resin; or

wherein said material further comprises an adhesive; or

wherein said material is translucent; or

wherein said material further comprises a polyurethane component; or

wherein said material further comprises a fiber glass component; or

wherein said material further comprises a fibrous component; or

wherein said material further comprises a fibrous component, optionally in a mat, a felt or a batting form; or

wherein said material further comprises at least a component selected from polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, expanded polystyrene, polyester, acrylic, polycarbonate, fluoropolymers, fluorinated urethane, PTFE, expanded PTFE, phenol- formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde, a phenolic resin, carbon black, carbon, or copolymers thereof, wood, gypsum, or combinations thereof; or

wherein the components are laminated to each other with an adhesive; or

wherein the components are laminated with heat; or

wherein said material has a high water vapor transfer rate (WVTR); or

wherein said material has a water vapor transfer rate(WVTR) of at least 1 perm; or

wherein said material is in a building wrap form; or

wherein the water vapor permeable component is breathable and has a thickness of about 0.25mils to about 1000 mils; or

wherein the thermal insulation R value of said material is at least 2 per inch; or

wherein said material further comprises a mold or mildew resistant agent.

14. The material of claim 1 wherein said component permeable to water vapor is enveloped by said aerogel component.

15. The material of claim 1 wherein said component permeable to water vapor and said aerogel component are in adjacent layers of said material.

16. A material comprising a component permeable to water vapor and substantially impervious to water in a sheet or substantially planar form comprising essentially two surfaces wherein one surface is attached to a monolithic aerogel, wherein the material is in a form flexible enough for being rolled up.

17. A material comprising a component permeable to water vapor and substantially impervious to water in a sheet or substantially planar form comprising essentially two surfaces wherein one surface is laminated to a monolithic aerogel.

18. A method of forming the material of claim 1 by attaching one surface of a component permeable to water vapor and substantially impervious to water in a sheet or substantially planar form comprising essentially two surfaces to an aerogel in a substantially planar form.

19. The material of claim 9 further comprising a component to protect against ultraviolet radiation or ozone; or

wherein the material has thermal insulation properties; or

wherein the material provides acoustic insulation; or

wherein the aerogel is hydrophilic; or

wherein the aerogel is hydrophobic; or

wherein the aero gel is water repellant; or

wherein the water vapor permeability is unidirectional; or

wherein the water vapor permeability is bidirectional; or

further comprising a structural component; or

wherein the water vapor permeable material is perforated; or

wherein the water vapor permeable material comprises a polyolefin, optionally in a microporous composite form; or

further comprising a resin; or

further comprising an adhesive; or

wherein the material is translucent; or

further comprising a polyurethane component; or

further comprising a fiber glass component; or

further comprising a fibrous component; or

further comprising a fibrous material, optionally in a mat, a felt or a batting form; or

further comprising at least a component selected from polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, expanded polystyrene, polyester, acrylic, polycarbonate, fluoropolymers, fluorinated urethane, PTFE, expanded PTFE, phenol-formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde, a phenolic resin, carbon black, carbon, or copolymers thereof, wood, gypsum, or combinations thereof; or

wherein the components are laminated to each other with an adhesive; or

wherein the components are laminated with heat; or

wherein said material has a high water vapor transfer rate (WVTR); or

wherein said material has a water vapor transfer rate(WVTR) of at least 1 perm; or

wherein said material is in a building wrap form; or

wherein the water vapor permeable component is breathable and has a thickness of about 0.25 mils to about 1000 mils; or

wherein the thermal insulation R value of said material is at least 2 per inch; or

further comprising a mold or mildew resistant agent.

Assignments (8)