Improvement of the Mechanical Properties of Silica Aerogels for Thermal Insulation Applications through a Combination of Aramid Nanofibres and Microfibres

Reinforcement of silica aerogels, remarkable lightweight mesoporous materials with outstanding insulation performance, is still a challenging research topic. Among the strategies used to overcome their brittleness, one most effective manufacturing aerogel composites embedded fibres. In this work, incorporation nanofibres together microfibres in tetraethoxysilane–vinyltrimethoxysilane matrix investigated for first time development novel nanocomposites. The nanofibres, synthesized from different aramid fibres, including Kevlar® pulp, Technora®, Teijinconex® and Twaron® were combinations microaramids resulting nanocomposites thoroughly physicochemical thermomechanical features. properties depended on type amount nano/microfibre used. While exhibited low interaction matrix, higher surface ensured increased contact gel matrix. A bulk density 161 kg m−3 thermal conductivity 38.3 mW m−1K−1 (Hot Disk®) was achieved when combining obtained pulp Technora® or long showed dispersion random orientation combination led improvement by factor three regarding mechanical reinforced only microfibres. scale-up process samples simulated tests cycling vacuum outgassing successfully conducted indicate good compliance space applications.