Process for forming transparent aerogel insulating arrays
An improved supercritical drying process for forming transparent silica aerogel arrays is described. The process is of the type utilizing the steps of hydrolyzing and condensing aloxides to form alcogels. A subsequent step removes the alcohol to form aerogels. The improvement includes the additional step, after alcogels are formed, of substituting a solvent, such as CO/sub 2/, for the alcohol in the alcogels, the solvent having a critical temperature less than the critical temperature of the alcohol. The resulting gels are dried at a supercritical temperature for the selected solvent, such as CO/sub 2/, to thereby provide a transparent aerogel array within a substantially reduced (days-to-hours) time period. The supercritical drying occurs at about 40/sup 0/C instead of at about 270/sup 0/C. The improved process provides increased yields of large scale, structurally sound arrays. The transparent aerogel array, formed in sheets or slabs, as made in accordance with the improved process, can replace the air gap within a double glazed window, for example, to provide a substantial reduction in heat transfer. The thus formed transparent aerogel arrays may also be utilized, for example, in windows of refrigerators and ovens, or in the walls and doors thereof or as the active material in detectors for analyzing high energy elementary particles or cosmic rays.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-76SF00098
- Assignee:
- Dept. of Energy
- Patent Number(s):
- None
- Application Number:
- ON: DE86013773
- OSTI ID:
- 5459282
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
320100 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Buildings
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360601* -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture
ALCOHOLS
CHALCOGENIDES
COLLOIDS
COVERINGS
DISPERSIONS
DOUBLE GLAZING
DRYING
GELS
GLAZING
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
MINERALS
OPENINGS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PRODUCTION
SILICA
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
WINDOWS