Thin aerogel materials
The present invention provides a fiber-reinforced aerogel material which can be used as insulation in thermal battery applications. The fiber-reinforced aerogel material is highly durable, flexible, and has a thermal performance that exceeds the insulation materials currently used in thermal battery applications. The fiber-reinforced aerogel insulation material can be as thin as 1 mm less, and can have a thickness variation as low as 2% or less. Also provided is a method for improving the performance of a thermal battery by incorporating a reinforced aerogel material into the thermal battery. Further provided is a casting method for producing thin fiber-reinforced aerogel materials.
1. A reinforced aerogel composition comprising:
an aerogel framework and a reinforcement material, the reinforced aerogel composition having an average thickness of 10 mm or less and a thickness variation of less than 15%.
2. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement material comprises one or more of an open-cell foam reinforcement material, a polymeric reinforcement material, and a fiber reinforcement material.
3. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 2 , wherein the fiber reinforcement material comprises discrete fibers, a woven material, a non-woven material, a batting, a web, a mat, a felt, or a combination thereof.
4. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 2 , wherein the fiber reinforcement material comprises glass-based fibers.
5. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 2 , wherein the fiber reinforcement material comprises silica-based fibers.
6. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 5 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composition has a thermal conductivity in a range of about 12 mW/mK and about 20 mW/mK.
7. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 2 , wherein the fiber reinforcement material comprises ceramic fibers.
8. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 1 , wherein the average thickness is about 5 mm and the thickness variation is less than 10%.
9. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 1 , wherein the average thickness is about 2 mm and the thickness variation is less than 6%.
10. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 1 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composition has a thermal conductivity of about 25 mW/mK or less.
11. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 1 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composition has a thermal conductivity of about 50 mW/mK or less.
12. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 1 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composition has a thermal conductivity of between about 12 mW/mK and about 50 mW/mK.
13. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 1 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composition includes a silica-based framework.
14. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 1 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composition has a density in a range of about 0.60 g/cc and about 0.30 g/cc.
15. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 1 , wherein the average thickness is 5 mm or less.
16. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 1 , wherein the average thickness is 3 mm or less.
17. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 1 , wherein the average thickness is 1 mm or less.
18. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 1 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composition is a flexible aerogel blanket composition.
19. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 1 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composition has a resilience of more than 50%.
20. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 1 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composition has a resilience of more than 75%.
21. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 1 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composition has a resilience of more than 90%.
22. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 1 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composition has a resilience of more than 95%.
23. A battery comprising the aerogel reinforced composition of claim 1 .
24. A method of improving performance of a battery comprising incorporating the reinforced aerogel composition of claim 1 into the battery.
25. A reinforced aerogel composition comprising:
an aerogel framework and a reinforcement material, the reinforced aerogel composition having an average thickness of 5 mm or less and a thickness variation of less than 15%.
26. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 25 , having an average thickness of 5 mm and a thickness variation of less than 10%.
27. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 25 , having an average thickness of 5 mm and a thickness variation of less than 5%.
28. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 25 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composition is a flexible aerogel blanket composition.
29. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 25 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composition has a thermal conductivity of about 25 mW/mK or less.
30. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 25 , wherein the reinforced aerogel composition has a thermal conductivity of between about 12 mW/mK and about 20 mW/mK.
31. The reinforced aerogel composition of claim 25 , wherein the aerogel framework comprises an organic aerogel.