Fiber reinforced aerogel composites, including a transparent composite material that contains an aerogel and fibers embedded into the aerogel and/or bonded to one or more surfaces of the aerogel, and composites that contain an aerogel tile and an assemblage of fibers embedded into the aerogel tile or bonded to the aerogel tile that are useful as Cherenkov radiators for the detection and identification of subatomic particles. Also, methods of making and using the composites.

A method for forming a super-insulating material for a vacuum insulated structure for an appliance includes disposing hollow glass spheres within a rotating drum, wherein a plurality of interstitial spaces are defined between the hollow glass spheres. An anchor material is disposed within the rotating drum. The hollow glass spheres and the anchor material are rotated within the rotating drum, wherein the anchor material is mixed with the hollow glass spheres to partially occupy the interstitial spaces. A silica-based material is disposed within the rotating drum. The silica-based material is mixed with the anchor material and the hollow glass spheres to define a super-insulating material, wherein the silica-based material attaches to the anchor material and is entrapped within the interstitial spaces. The silica-based material and the anchor material occupy substantially all of an interstitial volume defined by the interstitial spaces.

A method for forming a super-insulating material for a vacuum insulated structure for an appliance includes disposing hollow glass spheres within a rotating drum, wherein a plurality of interstitial spaces are defined between the hollow glass spheres. An anchor material is disposed within the rotating drum. The hollow glass spheres and the anchor material are rotated within the rotating drum, wherein the anchor material is mixed with the hollow glass spheres to partially occupy the interstitial spaces. A silica-based material is disposed within the rotating drum. The silica-based material is mixed with the anchor material and the hollow glass spheres to define a super-insulating material, wherein the silica-based material attaches to the anchor material and is entrapped within the interstitial spaces. The silica-based material and the anchor material occupy substantially all of an interstitial volume defined by the interstitial spaces.

A method for forming a super-insulating material for a vacuum insulated structure for an appliance includes disposing hollow glass spheres within a rotating drum, wherein a plurality of interstitial spaces are defined between the hollow glass spheres. An anchor material is disposed within the rotating drum. The hollow glass spheres and the anchor material are rotated within the rotating drum, wherein the anchor material is mixed with the hollow glass spheres to partially occupy the interstitial spaces. A silica-based material is disposed within the rotating drum. The silica-based material is mixed with the anchor material and the hollow glass spheres to define a super-insulating material, wherein the silica-based material attaches to the anchor material and is entrapped within the interstitial spaces. The silica-based material and the anchor material occupy substantially all of an interstitial volume defined by the interstitial spaces.

The present disclosure provides a preparation method of an aluminum silicate fiber-reinforced aerogel felt, including the following steps: mixing orthosilicate, ethanol, and water evenly, adding an NH.sub.4F solution and ammonia water successively, and stirring evenly to obtain a silica sol; winding an aluminum silicate fiber felt into a roll and mounting on a rotatable central shaft of a impregnation reaction kettle; where a plurality of injection holes are equidistantly provided on a surface of the reaction kettle; the central shaft of the reaction kettle drives the aluminum silicate fiber felt to rotate and slowly inject the silica sol into the surface of the fiber felt through the injection holes to conduct the impregnation; allowing the fiber felt-gel composite to stand to conduct aging; placing the aged fiber felt-gel composite in absolute ethanol to conduct solvent replacement to remove moisture; and drying to obtain the aluminum silicate fiber-reinforced aerogel felt.

The present disclosure provides a preparation method of an aluminum silicate fiber-reinforced aerogel felt, including the following steps: mixing orthosilicate, ethanol, and water evenly, adding an NH.sub.4F solution and ammonia water successively, and stirring evenly to obtain a silica sol; winding an aluminum silicate fiber felt into a roll and mounting on a rotatable central shaft of a impregnation reaction kettle; where a plurality of injection holes are equidistantly provided on a surface of the reaction kettle; the central shaft of the reaction kettle drives the aluminum silicate fiber felt to rotate and slowly inject the silica sol into the surface of the fiber felt through the injection holes to conduct the impregnation; allowing the fiber felt-gel composite to stand to conduct aging; placing the aged fiber felt-gel composite in absolute ethanol to conduct solvent replacement to remove moisture; and drying to obtain the aluminum silicate fiber-reinforced aerogel felt.

The present invention relates to inorganic fibres having a composition comprising: 65.7 to 70.8 wt % SiO.sub.2; 27.0 to 34.2 wt % CaO; 0.10 to 2.0 wt % MgO; and optional other components providing the balance up to 100 wt %,
wherein the sum of SiO.sub.2 and CaO is greater than or equal to 97.8 wt %; and the other components, when present, comprise no more than 0.80 wt % Al.sub.2O.sub.3; and wherein the amount of MgO and other components are configured to inhibit the formation of surface crystallite grains upon heat treatment at 1100° C. for 24 hours, wherein said surface crystallite grains comprise an average crystallite size in a range of from 0.0 to 0.90 μm.

The present invention relates to inorganic fibres having a composition comprising: 65.7 to 70.8 wt % SiO.sub.2; 27.0 to 34.2 wt % CaO; 0.10 to 2.0 wt % MgO; and optional other components providing the balance up to 100 wt %,
wherein the sum of SiO.sub.2 and CaO is greater than or equal to 97.8 wt %; and the other components, when present, comprise no more than 0.80 wt % Al.sub.2O.sub.3; and wherein the amount of MgO and other components are configured to inhibit the formation of surface crystallite grains upon heat treatment at 1100° C. for 24 hours, wherein said surface crystallite grains comprise an average crystallite size in a range of from 0.0 to 0.90 μm.

A process for the manufacture of inorganic fibres comprises: (a) selecting a composition and proportion of: (i) silica sand; (ii) lime comprising at least 0.10 wt % magnesia; and (iii) optional additives comprising a source of oxides or non-oxides of one or more of the lanthanides series of elements, or combinations thereof; (b) mixing the silica sand; lime; and optional additives to form a mixture; (c) melting the mixture in a furnace; and (d) shaping the molten mixture into inorganic fibres. The raw materials selection comprises composition selection and proportion selection of the raw materials to obtain an inorganic fibre composition comprising a range of from 61.0 wt % and 70.8 wt % silica; less than 2.0 wt % magnesia; less than 2.0% incidental impurities; and no more than 2.0 wt % of metal oxides and/or metal non-oxides derived from said optional additives; with calcia providing the balance up to 100 wt %; and wherein the inorganic fibre composition comprises no more than 0.80 wt % Al.sub.20.sub.3 derived from the incidental impurities and/or the optional additives.

A process for the manufacture of inorganic fibres comprises: (a) selecting a composition and proportion of: (i) silica sand; (ii) lime comprising at least 0.10 wt % magnesia; and (iii) optional additives comprising a source of oxides or non-oxides of one or more of the lanthanides series of elements, or combinations thereof; (b) mixing the silica sand; lime; and optional additives to form a mixture; (c) melting the mixture in a furnace; and (d) shaping the molten mixture into inorganic fibres. The raw materials selection comprises composition selection and proportion selection of the raw materials to obtain an inorganic fibre composition comprising a range of from 61.0 wt % and 70.8 wt % silica; less than 2.0 wt % magnesia; less than 2.0% incidental impurities; and no more than 2.0 wt % of metal oxides and/or metal non-oxides derived from said optional additives; with calcia providing the balance up to 100 wt %; and wherein the inorganic fibre composition comprises no more than 0.80 wt % Al.sub.20.sub.3 derived from the incidental impurities and/or the optional additives.