Progress of Silica Aerogel Insulation Composites

Due to nano-porous structure,silica aerogel has the lowest thermal conductivity,and is an ideal material for novel thermal insulation. However,its application as a thermal insulation has been restricted due to its weak mechanical strength and high infrared transparency. One of the best methods is to prepare aerogel composites by doping with reinforcements and opacifiers. This paper summarizes the preparation technology of aerogel composites. Particularly,the research progresses on mechanical and thermal properties of aerogel composites are analyzed. The existing problems and the further prospects in this field are also discussed.