Advanced silica aerogel composites for thermal insulation at high temperatures

Abstract

Within the Project AEROSTA thermal insulation of exhaust system of stationary and semi-stationary engines are developed. The catalyst of the system works much more efficient, if the exhaust gases reach the catalyst with temperatures above 400°C. Therefore high performance insulating materials are required which are not available and have to be developed. Aerogels posses properties as a low thermal conductivity of λ < 0.020 W m-1 K-1, and a nearby thermal stability and seem to be suitable materials. Therefore we invented the development of silica aerogels with a thermal stability and neglected shrinkage in a temperature range of up to 600°C not losing accompanying properties. The materials received is a combination of silica aerogels with ceramic additives such as high-temperature stabile boehmite.