Granted Patent B2

US 12,409,428 · App. 18/651,623 · Granted Sep 9, 2025

Inventors: David Mihalcik (Northborough, MA); Kathryn deKrafft (Hudson, MA); Nicholas Anthony Zafiropoulos (Wayland, MA); Owen Evans (Chelmsford, MA); George Gould (Mendon, MA); Wibke Lolsberg (Northborough, MA)

Assignee: Aspen Aerogels, Inc.

B01J13/0091C01B33/1585C08K5/0066C08L61/28C08L75/04C08L2201/02

Abstract

Claims (25)

1. A reinforced silica-based aerogel material comprising:

an open-cell macroporous framework (OCMF);

an aerogel disposed within the OCMF, the aerogel comprising silica; and

an endothermic fire-class additive disposed within the aerogel, wherein the endothermic fire-class additive decomposes, including absorbing energy via water during dehydration of the additive, at a temperature of at least 350 degrees Celsius (° C.); and

wherein the reinforced silica-based aerogel material has an onset of thermal decomposition within 50 degrees of the fire-class additive.

2. The aerogel of claim 1 , wherein the endothermic fire-class additive decomposes at the temperature, and wherein the temperature is within a range of 440° C. and 570° C.

3. The aerogel of claim 1 , wherein the endothermic fire-class additive is a hydrated aluminum silicate clay.

4. The aerogel of claim 3 , wherein the hydrated aluminum silicate clay is a halloysite clay or a kaolinite clay.

5. The aerogel of claim 1 , wherein the endothermic fire-class additive is present in the reinforced silica-based aerogel material in about 5 wt. % to 70 wt. %.

6. The aerogel of claim 1 , wherein the OCMF material comprises melamine.

7. The aerogel of claim 1 , wherein the OCMF material comprises a sheet or a foam.

8. The aerogel of claim 1 , wherein the reinforced silica-based aerogel material further comprises a hydrophobic component.

9. The aerogel of claim 1 , wherein the OCMF is flammable, combustible, or both.

10. The aerogel of claim 1 , wherein the reinforced silica-based aerogel material is characterized by:

i) a liquid water uptake of 20 wt % or less; and

ii) a thermal conductivity of 30 mW/M*K or less according to ASTM C518 standard at a temperature of about 37.5° C., in an ambient environment, at atmospheric pressure, and at a compression load of about 2 psi.

11. A reinforced silica-based aerogel material comprising:

an open-cell macroporous framework (OCMF);

an aerogel disposed within the OCMF, the aerogel comprising silica; and

an endothermic fire-class additive disposed within the aerogel, wherein the endothermic fire-class additive decomposes, including absorbing energy via water during dehydration of the additive, at a temperature of at least 350 degrees Celsius (C); and

wherein the reinforced silica-based aerogel material has an onset of thermal decomposition of within a range of 280° C. to 390° C.

12. The reinforced silica-based aerogel material of claim 11 , wherein the endothermic fire-class additive is a hydrated aluminum silicate clay.

13. The reinforced silica-based aerogel material of claim 12 , wherein the hydrated aluminum silicate clay is a halloysite clay or a kaolinite clay.

14. The reinforced silica-based aerogel material of claim 11 , wherein the endothermic fire-class additive is present in the reinforced silica-based aerogel material in about 5 wt. % to 70 wt. %.

15. The reinforced silica-based aerogel material of claim 11 , wherein the reinforced silica-based aerogel material further comprises a hydrophobic component.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (285)