A method for producing a thermally insulating mortar includes introducing water, cement and a liquid surfactant containing a foam concentrate that forms a foam in a predetermined mixing ratio into a mixing device provided with a mixing impeller, and rotating the mixing impeller at a very high speed, wherein a homogeneous mixing between the water, the cement and the formed foam occurs.

The method is for use with a substrate having a plurality of parallel channels extending therethrough. In the method, the steps comprise: filling a selected plurality of the channels with a granular material; and consolidating the granular material through heat. The selected plurality of channels is selected to produce a wall that separates the substrate into: a first portion having a first plurality of the parallel channels extending therethrough; and a second portion having a second plurality of the parallel channels extending therethrough.

The present invention provides a bidirectional energy-transfer system comprising: a thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete, disposed in a structural object; a location of energy supply or demand that is physically isolated from, but in thermodynamic and/or electromagnetic communication with, the thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete; and a means of transferring energy between the structural object and the location of energy supply or demand. The system can be a single node in a neural network. The thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete includes a conductive, shock-absorbing material, such as graphite. Preferred compositions are disclosed for the thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete. The bidirectional energy-transfer system may be present in a solar-energy collection system, a grade beam, an indoor radiant flooring system, a structural wall or ceiling, a bridge, a roadway, a driveway, a parking lot, a commercial aviation runway, a military runway, a grain silo, or pavers, for example.

The present invention relates to a method for aerogel production and to a composite material produced by said method and comprising an aerogel and mineral fibers. An aerogel material produced on the basis of silicate with a coefficient of thermal conductivity of <18 mW/mK is obtainable by rendering it hydrophobic with HMDSO in the presence of nitric acid.

Embodiments of disclosure may provide a method for forming an aluminum-containing nitride ceramic matrix composite, comprising heating a green body, an aluminum-containing composition, ammonia and a mineralizer composition in a sealable container to a temperature between about 400 degrees Celsius and about 800 degrees Celsius and a pressure between about 10 MPa and about 1000 MPa, to form an aluminum-containing nitride ceramic matrix composite characterized by a phosphor-to-aluminum nitride (AlN) ratio, by volume, between about 1% and about 99%, by a porosity between about 1% and about 50%, and by a thermal conductivity between about 1 watt per meter-Kelvin and about 320 watts per meter-Kelvin. The green body comprises a phosphor powder comprising at least one phosphor composition, wherein the phosphor powder particles are characterized by a D50 diameter between about 100 nanometers and about 500 micrometers, and the green body has a porosity between about 10% and about 80%. The aluminum-containing composition has a purity, on a metals basis, between about 90% and about 99.9999%. The fraction of free volume within the sealable container contains between about 10% and about 95% of liquid ammonia prior to heating the green body, the aluminum-containing composition, ammonia and the mineralizer composition in the sealable container.

A high-thermal conductivity grout composition is provided. The composition includes a grout mixture including a cementitious material, a retarder, and a high-thermal k material that advantageously can form a pumpable slurry upon admixture with water. The retarder is present in an amount effective that delays setting of the grout mixture at a target location having a geostatic target temperature of at least 300 F. for at least two hours. The high-thermal k material is present in an amount effective such that the grout mixture has, upon setting at the target location, a thermal conductivity of at least 1 W/m K.

A method of forming a set grout includes steps of preparing a grout additive fluid comprising a fresh water base fluid and a grout additive control package comprising a primary additive selected from the group consisting of an inhibitor, a dispersant, a thermally conductive material, and any combination thereof; introducing an aqueous swellable clay into the grout additive fluid, thereby forming a final grout fluid; and introducing the final grout fluid into an annulus in a subterranean formation, the annulus formed between an exterior of a geothermal well loop tubular and the subterranean formation. The ordering of additives in the method results in enhanced effectiveness of the additives, which may reduce the amount of additive loading required.

A heat insulator including a porous sintered body having a porosity of 70 vol % or more, pores having a pore size of more than 1000 m in a proportion of 10 vol % or less of all pores and pores having a pore size of 0.8 m or more and less than 10 m occupy 50 vol % or more and 80 vol % or less of pores having a pore size of 1000 m or less, while pores having a pore size of 0.01 m or more and less than 0.8 occupy 10 vol % or more and 30 vol % or less pores having a pore size of 1000 m or less. The porous sintered body is formed from MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4 raw material and includes a fibrous layer formed from inorganic material fibers, the heat conductivity of the heat insulator at 1000 C. or more and 1500 C. or less being 0.40 W/m.Math.K) or less.

The invention relates to a dark, flat element, preferably a plastic, lacquer coating or fiber material, having reduced density, low heat conductivity and low solar absorption. The flat element has a relatively high reflection infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum reduce heating by sunlight in the near infrared dark tinting in the visible range. Low density conductivity are obtained inter alia by inserting in the near in order to area despite and low heat light filling materials into the flat element. Said flat element can be used in places where surfaces are dark tinted for aesthetic or technical reasons but should not heat up in sunlight and should give off little heat when touched by hand or by other parts of the body. Other areas of application include surfaces which should have a heat insulating effect in addition to the above-mentioned characteristics.

A high temperature lightweight thermal insulating material is formed from a mixture that includes cement or silica sand, water and a foaming agent. The foaming agent can be an aluminum powder or a surfactant. The insulating material has a maximum use temperature greater than about 600 degrees Celsius.