Flexible and coatable insulating silica aerogel/polyurethane composites via soft segment control

We herein propose a facile approach to fabricate foldable and coatable silica aerogel polyurethane composites (APCs). For the flexibility control, the soft segment of polyurethane (PU) is manipulated. The change in soft segment length induces a difference in overall glass transition temperature of P...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Composites science and technology 2019-02, Vol.171, p.244-251
Main Authors: Cho, Jaehyun, Jang, Han Gyeol, Kim, Seong Yun, Yang, Beomjoo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
A. Coating
A. Flexible composites
A. Polymer-matrix composites (PMCs)
Aerogels
B. Thermal properties
Breakage
Glass transition temperature
Heat conductivity
Heat release rate
Heat transfer
Insulation
Mechanical properties
Micromechanics
Polymer matrix composites
Polyurethane
Polyurethane resins
Silicon dioxide
Thermal conductivity
Thermal insulation
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Summary:We herein propose a facile approach to fabricate foldable and coatable silica aerogel polyurethane composites (APCs). For the flexibility control, the soft segment of polyurethane (PU) is manipulated. The change in soft segment length induces a difference in overall glass transition temperature of PU. When the silica aerogel content is increased, the PU with a shorter soft segment length shows brittle fracture behavior, while the PU with a longer soft segment length shows no breakage after bending. The thermal insulation properties of APCs were enhanced by 72% reduction in thermal conductivity upon 30 wt% aerogel loading and theoretically verified by a micromechanics-based thermal conductivity model considering the effects of interface and agglomeration. In addition, for the combustion behavior measurements, heat release rate and heat release capacity are substantially reduced for the APCs compared to neat PUs. Those enhanced thermal insulation properties may have a commercial impact on thermal insulation applications.
ISSN:0266-3538
1879-1050
DOI:10.1016/j.compscitech.2018.12.027