Aerogels are ultra-light, insulative, porous materials that have a wide variety of applications. The aim of this study was to synthesize resorcinol/formaldehyde (RF) cross-linked silica aerogels in one pot by acid catalysis. A thermal constant analyzer measured the thermal conductivity of the RF/SiO2 aerogels using the transient plane source (TPS) method. Results showed that although the RF/SiO2 aerogels had a lower density, their thermal conductivities resembled those ...
Aerogels are nano-porous materials with impressive thermal insulation properties. This study uses a new theoretical model to predict the effective thermal conductivity of aerogels based on gas and solid conduction, as well as thermal radiation. A thermal constant analyzer measured the influence of gas pressure, atmosphere, and temperature on the thermal conductivity of nano-porous materials using the transient plane source (TPS) method. Results showed that the experimental thermal conductivity values ...
Asphalt solar collector (ASC) is a conductive asphalt concrete and an eco-friendly method to de-ice roadways. This study examined if the addition of conductive fillers and various mixing parameters could improve the thermal conductivity and energy efficiency of ASC. A thermal conductivity system measured the thermal conductivity of the concrete samples using the transient plane source (TPS) method. Results showed that thermal conductivity was mostly improved by higher asphalt temperatures, ...
Seasonal thermal storage based on phase change materials (PCMs) require a thermally conductive host because they typically have low thermal conductivities. In this study, tannin-based composite carbon foams were prepared using thermally conductive exfoliated graphite (EG) fillers and pMDI additives. A thermal analyzer measured the thermal conductivity of the samples using the transient plane source (TPS) method. Results showed that the EG-carbon foams and the EG/pDMI-carbon foams showed significantly ...
Tannin and lignin are organic materials that are more cost-effective than synthetic, non-renewable phenolic compounds. In this paper, tannin-lignin-formaldehyde (TLF) composites were used to synthesize thermally insulative mesoporous aerogels. A thermal analyzer measured the thermal conductivity of two TLF samples using the transient plane source (TPS) method. Results showed that the TLF aerogels had better thermal insulation properties than any other organic aerogels reported in the literature, and were well ...
