Advanced Opacified Fiber-Reinforced Silica-Based Aerogel Composites for Superinsulation of Exhaust Tubing Systems in Semi-Stationary Motors

Abstract

Within this study, monolithic three-dimensional silica aerogel (SA) composite parts with super insulating properties are presented. A generic part based on fiber-reinforced (FR) silica aerogel for thermal insulation of the exhaust tubing system, to keep the exhaust gases as hot as possible to improve the efficiency of the catalyst system, was produced via a sol-gel-based molding process in combination with a supercritical drying using scCO2. A thermal conductivity of 16 mW m-1 K-1 was measured via a heat flow meter technique. In this manuscript, we present a full cycle of the material compound design, starting with fundamental material evaluation including aerogel optimization, opacifier influence, and casting process. The obtained generic part in shape of a halfshell for pipe insulation is characterized under real conditions.