AsianScientist (Dec. 6, 2016) – Researchers at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a new material that will make vehicles and buildings cooler and quieter compared to current insulation materials in the market.
The aerogel composites took NTU Associate Professor Sunil Chandrankant Joshi and his then-PhD student, Dr. Mahesh Sachithanadam, four years to develop. Made from silica aerogels with a few additives, this new foam insulates against heat 2.6 times better than conventional insulation foam and blocks out 80 percent of outside noise—an increase of 30 percent.
A Singapore-based company, Bronx Creative & Design Center Pte Ltd, has licensed this aerogel composites technology with a joint venture of S$7 million (~US$5.2 million) and a production plant that will be operational by 2017. The new aerogel composite has been branded Bronx AeroSil and is expected to hit the market early next year for applications in building and construction, oil and gas and the automotive industry.
According to Sunil, the foam will be easy to install and use as it is thinner than conventional foam and yet has better performance. It is also non-flammable, resilient and can withstand high compression or heavy loads. In addition, it is greener to manufacture as its production does not require high heat treatment or toxic materials.
The article can be found at: Sachithanadam and Joshi (2016) Silica Aerogel Composites: Novel Fabrication Methods.
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Source: Nanyang Technological University.
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