Anisotropic fibrous thermal insulator of relatively thick cross section and method for making same

Patent · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:863346

Reynolds, Carl D ^[1]; Ardary, Zane L ^[2]

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1. Clinton, TN
2. Oak Ridge, TN

The present invention is directed to an anisotropic thermal insulator formed of carbon-bonded organic or inorganic fibers and having a thickness or cross section greater than about 3 centimeters. Delaminations and deleterious internal stresses generated during binder curing and carbonizing operations employed in the fabrication of thick fibrous insulation of thicknesses greater than 3 centimeters are essentially obviated by the method of the present invention. A slurry of fibers, thermosetting resin binder and water is vacuum molded into the selected insulator configuration with the total thickness of the molded slurry being less than about 3 centimeters, the binder is thermoset to join the fibers together at their nexaes, and then the binder is carbonized to form the carbon bond. A second slurry of the fibers, binder and water is then applied over the carbonized body with the vacuum molding, binder thermosetting and carbonizing steps being repeated to form a layered insulator with the binder providing a carbon bond between the layers. The molding, thermosetting and carbonizing steps may be repeated with additional slurries until the thermal insulator is of the desired final thickness. An additional feature of the present invention is provided by incorporating opacifying materials in any of the desired layers so as to provide different insulating properties at various temperatures. Concentration and/or type of additive can be varied from layer-to-layer.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4152482
• OSTI ID: 863346
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

anisotropic
fibrous
thermal
insulator
relatively
thick
section
method
directed
formed
carbon-bonded
organic
inorganic
fibers
thickness
centimeters
delaminations
deleterious
internal
stresses
generated
binder
curing
carbonizing
operations
employed
fabrication
insulation
thicknesses
essentially
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slurry
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resin
water
vacuum
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selected
configuration
total
thermoset
join
nexaes
carbonized
form
carbon
bond
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molding
steps
repeated
layered
providing
layers
additional
slurries
desired
final
feature
provided
incorporating
opacifying
materials
provide
insulating
properties
various
temperatures
concentration
type
additive
varied
layer-to-layer
vacuum molding
stresses generated
thermosetting resin
relatively thick
thermal insulator
carbon bond
desired layer
insulating properties
total thickness
internal stresses
resin binder
layered insulator
desired final
internal stress
fibrous insulation
various temperature
anisotropic thermal
/442/156/264/423/428/