A vacuum heat-insulating material includes: an outer cover material; and a core material which is sealed in a tightly closed and decompressed state on the inside of the outer cover material. Outer cover material has gas barrier properties and satisfies at least one of a condition that a linear expansion coefficient is 8010.sup.5/ C. or lower when a static load is 0.05 N within a temperature range of 130 C. to 80 C., inclusive, a condition that an average value of a linear expansion coefficient is 6510.sup.5/ C. or higher when a static load is 0.4 N within a temperature range of 140 C. to 130 C., inclusive, a condition that an average value of a linear expansion coefficient is 2010.sup.5/ C. or higher when a static load is 0.4 N within a temperature range of 140 C. to 110 C., inclusive, and a condition that an average value of a linear expansion coefficient is 1310.sup.5/ C. or higher when a static load is 0.4 N within a temperature range of +50 C. to +65 C., inclusive.

An article includes walls defining an insulating space therebetween and a vent forming an exit for gas molecules during evacuation of the space. A distance separating the walls is variable in a portion adjacent the vent such that gas molecules are directed towards the vent imparting a greater probability of molecule egress than ingress such that deeper vacuum is developed without requiring getter material. The variable-distance portion may be formed by converging walls. Alternatively, a portion of one of the walls may be formed such that a normal line at any location within that portion is directed substantially towards a vent opening in the other wall.

An article includes walls defining an insulating space therebetween and a vent forming an exit for gas molecules during evacuation of the space. A distance separating the walls is variable in a portion adjacent the vent such that gas molecules are directed towards the vent imparting a greater probability of molecule egress than ingress such that deeper vacuum is developed without requiring getter material. The variable-distance portion may be formed by converging walls. Alternatively, a portion of one of the walls may be formed such that a normal line at any location within that portion is directed substantially towards a vent opening in the other wall.

A vacuum insulation panel for a construction, a car or an electric appliance includes a vacuum insulation panel in which a core material made of inorganic fibers is wrapped with an outer packaging material made of a stainless steel plate, and an inner space of the outer packaging material wrapping the core material is in a vacuum state, wherein a water content of the core material is 0.05 wt % or less, the surface roughness Ra of the inner space-side surface of the outer packaging material is 0.2 m or less, and a peripheral part of the outer packaging material is sealed by welding in a state in which the pressure of the inner space of the outer packaging material is 1 Pa or less.

A segmented thermal barrier for a combustion chamber surface of an internal combustion engine. The segmented thermal barrier includes a plurality of modules, each module with a support and a shield. The edges of shields of at least two adjacent modules are spaced apart by a distance.

A segmented thermal barrier for a combustion chamber surface of an internal combustion engine. The segmented thermal barrier includes a plurality of modules, each module with a support and a shield. The edges of shields of at least two adjacent modules are spaced apart by a distance.

According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a laminated structure including, in this order from a side nearer to an object to be cooled: a radiative cooling layer which contains a bubble-containing resin and radiates far-infrared rays to cool the object to be cooled; and a heat insulating layer which contains a bubble-containing resin and has a porosity of 70% or more and in which the number of bubbles contained in a layer thickness direction is 8 or less.

A heat insulating material is a sheet including a fiber and an aerogel. The fiber is aligned in a certain direction in the sheet. A heat insulating structure is used that includes: a high-temperature unit; a low-temperature; and the heat insulating material joining the high-temperature unit and the low-temperature to each other. The certain direction of the heat insulating material is a direction in which the high-temperature unit and the low-temperature unit are joined to each other. A heat insulating structure is used that includes: a first battery cell; a second battery cell; the heat insulating material disposed between the first battery cell and the second battery cell; and a cooling plate that is in contact with the first battery cell, the second battery cell, and the heat insulating material.

A heat insulating material is a sheet including a fiber and an aerogel. The fiber is aligned in a certain direction in the sheet. A heat insulating structure is used that includes: a high-temperature unit; a low-temperature; and the heat insulating material joining the high-temperature unit and the low-temperature to each other. The certain direction of the heat insulating material is a direction in which the high-temperature unit and the low-temperature unit are joined to each other. A heat insulating structure is used that includes: a first battery cell; a second battery cell; the heat insulating material disposed between the first battery cell and the second battery cell; and a cooling plate that is in contact with the first battery cell, the second battery cell, and the heat insulating material.

A heat insulator is disclosed which simplifies processes of measures for preventing contamination of a surrounding caused by falling off of a silica aerogel in a silica-aerogel support heat insulator. In the silica-aerogel support heat insulator, a support layer whose melting point is lower than a melting point of a fiber supporting the silica aerogel is used, and by performing thermal-pressure bonding at a temperature lower than the melting point of the fiber but higher than the melting point of the support layer to cause the support layer to enter the fiber to combine the support layer and the fiber. Thus, processes of measures for preventing contamination of a surrounding caused by falling off of the silica aerogel can be simplified, and use in a large size and/or in a complicated shape is made possible.