Hybrid silica gel made of porous silica particles
Compositions, methods, and articles of manufacture relating to a transparent/translucent insulating material formed by a hybrid silica gel composition made of porous silica particles joined with each other by silane crosslinking through a three dimensional silica network. In one embodiment, the hybrid silica gel includes small porous silica particles, and is made by a process that avoids energy intensive techniques.
1. An insulating material, comprising:
a hybrid silica gel including a silica network of porous silica particles joined by silica cross-linkers, wherein the silica cross-linkers comprise at least partially hydrolyzed silica precursors, and wherein said hybrid silica gel has a thermal conductivity of about 0.15 W/m.K or less.
2. The material of claim 1 , wherein each of said porous silica particles has a diameter that is less than 100 nm.
3. The material of claim 2 , wherein each of said porous silica particles has a diameter that is between about 60 nm and about 100 nm.
4. The material of claim 2 , wherein each of said porous silica particles has a diameter that is no more than about 60 nm.
5. The material of claim 1 , wherein said hybrid silica gel has a thermal conductivity of about ≤0.032 W/m.K.
6. The material of claim 1 , wherein said hybrid silica gel has a thermal conductivity of about 0.15 W/m.K to about 0.022 W/m.K.
7. The material of claim 1 , wherein said silica cross-linkers include partially hydrolyzed TEOS.
8. An insulating material, comprising:
a hybrid silica gel including a silica network of porous silica particles joined by silica cross-linkers, wherein the silica cross-linkers comprise at least partially hydrolyzed silica precursors, wherein said hybrid silica gel has a visible transmittance of about 50% or more.
9. The material of claim 1 , wherein each of said porous silica particles has a small grain of about 60 nm.
10. The material of claim 1 , wherein said porous silica particles include pores that are ≤20 nm.
11. The material of claim 1 , wherein said porous silica particles include micropores and macropores, wherein said micropores are between about 1 nm to about 6 nm, and said macropores are between about 50 nm to about 100 nm.
12. The material of claim 11 , wherein said micropores are about 3.5 nm.
13. An insulating material, comprising:
a hybrid silica gel including a silica network of porous silica particles joined by silica cross-linkers, wherein the silica cross-linkers comprise at least partially hydrolyzed silica precursors, wherein said hybrid silica gel has a thermal resistance of about ≥6 hr·ft 2 ·° F./Btu.
14. The material of claim 8 , wherein said hybrid silica gel has a visible transmittance of about 99% or more.
15. A fenestration system, comprising:
a first pane of glass;
a second pane of glass, said first and second panes of glass defining an enclosed chamber;
a transparent insulating material contained within said enclosed chamber, said transparent insulating material comprising: a hybrid silica gel including a silica network of porous silica particles joined by silica cross-linkers, wherein the silica cross-linkers comprise at least partially hydrolyzed silica precursors, and wherein said hybrid silica gel has a thermal conductivity of about 0.15 W/m.K or less.