Energy-saving material aerogel blanket: Reshaping the insulation landscape in multiple fields, opening up a new green and low-carbon future

Energy-saving material aerogel blanket: Reshaping the insulation landscape in multiple fields, opening up a new green and low-carbon future

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Aerogel blankets, a derivative product of aerogel known as "the world's lightest solid material", have sparked a wave of attention in the global materials science and technology field with their outstanding insulation performance, extreme lightweight advantages and wide range of applicable scenarios.

This new type of insulation material, which combines innovative technology with environmental protection attributes, is gradually replacing traditional insulation products, providing brand-new solutions for energy-saving upgrades in multiple industries such as construction, industry, and new energy, and has become an important force promoting global low-carbon development. ​

Breaking through traditional limitations, aerogel blankets stand out with their three core advantages

Since its debut in the last century, aerogel has attracted much attention for its unique form and excellent performance as a "solid smoke", and aerogel blankets are one of the important application forms of aerogel materials. Compared with traditional insulation materials such as rock wool, glass wool and traditional insulation cotton, aerogel blankets have achieved all-round breakthroughs in performance. ​

First of all, the ultimate heat preservation efficiency is the core competitiveness of aerogel blankets. Its thermal conductivity is as low as 0.02W/(m · K), which is much lower than that of traditional insulation materials (usually above 0.030W/(m · K)). This means that under the same insulation requirements, the thickness of the aerogel blanket used is only 1/3 to 1/5 of that of traditional materials. Take the insulation of building exterior walls as an example. The use of aerogel blankets can reduce the thickness of the insulation layer from the traditional 100mm to 20-30mm, significantly saving building space. It is especially suitable for the renovation projects of old buildings where there are strict restrictions on floor height and wall thickness. ​

Secondly, the lightweight and high-strength characteristics of aerogel blankets give them an edge in complex scenarios. Its surface density is only 100-300g/㎡, and its weight is less than 1/4 of that of traditional insulation materials, which can effectively reduce the load on buildings and industrial equipment. Meanwhile, aerogel blankets have excellent flexibility and tear resistance. They can be bent and wrapped around irregular surfaces such as pipes and tanks, solving the problem that traditional rigid insulation materials are difficult to adhere to irregular equipment. The construction efficiency is increased by more than 40%. ​

Furthermore, its green environmental friendliness and long-lasting durability further highlight its sustainable value. The main component of aerogel blankets is silicon dioxide, and they do not contain harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde and benzene. They will not cause pollution to the environment during production, use or disposal. Meanwhile, it has excellent anti-aging and anti-corrosion performance, with a service life of over 25 years, far exceeding the 10 to 15-year service life of traditional insulation materials, significantly reducing the frequency of material replacement and resource waste. ​

Aerogel blankets have flourished in multiple fields, opening up new scenarios for energy-saving applications

With its outstanding comprehensive performance, aerogel blankets have been widely applied on a large scale in multiple fields and have demonstrated remarkable energy-saving benefits and economic value. ​

In the field of building energy conservation, aerogel blankets have become the preferred insulation material for ultra-low energy consumption buildings and passive houses. A passive house project in Germany uses aerogel blankets as the insulation layer for the exterior walls and roofs. In winter, without centralized heating, the indoor temperature can be stably maintained at 18-22℃, and the building energy consumption is reduced by more than 75% compared with traditional houses. In the renovation projects of old residential areas in Beijing, Shanghai and other places in China, aerogel blankets have been widely recognized by residents due to their advantages of thin thickness and convenient construction. They have achieved an indoor temperature increase of 3-5℃ without damaging the original structure and appearance of the buildings. ​

In the field of industrial insulation, aerogel blankets provide crucial support for energy conservation and consumption reduction of high-temperature equipment. In the petrochemical industry, aerogel blankets are used for insulation of oil pipelines and reactors, which can reduce pipeline heat loss by over 60%. After being applied in a certain oil refinery, it can save about 800,000 cubic meters of natural gas consumption annually, equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 1,500 tons. In the power industry, aerogel blankets are used for insulation of generator sets and boiler pipelines. They not only reduce heat loss but also lower the surface temperature of equipment, enhancing the safety of workshop operations. ​

In the field of new energy, the application of aerogel blankets contributes to the development of energy storage and new energy vehicles. In lithium battery energy storage systems, aerogel blankets can serve as fireproof and heat-insulating layers. When the battery experiences thermal runaway, they can effectively block heat transfer, prevent the spread of fire, and enhance the safety of the energy storage system. In the field of new energy vehicles, a certain automaker uses aerogel blankets to insulate between battery packs and the vehicle body. In extremely high-temperature environments, it can lower the temperature of the battery pack by 4 to 6 degrees Celsius, ensuring stable battery performance. At the same time, it reduces air conditioning energy consumption and extends the vehicle's driving range by approximately 10%. ​​

Industry experts say that in the future, as the production process of aerogel continues to be optimized, the production cost of aerogel blankets will further decrease, and their application scenarios will also expand to fields such as aerospace, cold chain logistics, and electronic equipment. For instance, in the aerospace field, aerogel blankets can be used in the thermal protection systems of spacecraft, reducing the weight of the equipment while enhancing the insulation effect. In the field of cold chain logistics, insulated boxes with aerogel blankets can extend the low-temperature preservation time by 2 to 3 times and reduce the transportation loss of fresh food. ​