Fabrication and characterization of Rice Hsuk Aerogel-Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) Insulation Film

The windows have a large impact on the space heating demand and the indoor environment is affected by climate or daylight. Hence, aerogel has generally used as a film to reduce the coefficient of the window in the building.... [ view full abstract ]

The windows have a large impact on the space heating demand and the indoor environment is affected by climate or daylight. Hence, aerogel has generally used as a film to reduce the coefficient of the window in the building. Silica aerogel is a suitable material to apply for insulation material with lower thermal conductivity than that of air to save interior energy. However expensive precursor and drying process were the main issue of the silica aerogel synthesis and practical usage.

 We attempt to fabricate aerogel insulation film on glass for energy saving through the economic process under ambient pressure. Silica aerogel was synthesized from rice husk ash, which was an agricultural waste to be able to recycle. Taguchi design was used to optimize the parameters controlling the surface area of silica aerogel. The silica aerogel is prepared by sol-gel processing through acidic treatment and aging. The silica aerogel was obtained by modification of silica hydrogel surface and dry at ambient pressure. Finally, aerogel insulation film was fabricated by the different content of aerogel in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Particle size, surface area and pore size of silica aerogel were respectively confirmed 21~24nm, 832.26 m²/g and 3.30nm by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET). Then thermal conductivity (λ) of the aerogel insulation film was analyzed 0.002 W/mK by thermal wave system. This study demonstrates an eco-friendly and low-cost route to synthesize silica aerogel via rice husk and aerogel insulation film was obtained with low thermal conductivity similar to property of a commercial product.