The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing an aerogel blanket, wherein a surface modification process is performed under acid conditions while using a non-toxic catalyst. Under such a process, a solvent substitution process or a washing process may be omitted to simplify the manufacturing process. Further, collapse of a gel structure due to shrinkage is prevented and the efficiency of surface modification is high even when atmospheric pressure drying is performed, so that an aerogel having excellent thermal conductivity and degree of hydrophobicity may be manufactured. Also provided is an aerogel blanket manufactured by the method, thereby having low thermal conductivity and a low moisture impregnation rate since a hydrophobic group is uniformly formed inside a substrate.

The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing an aerogel blanket, wherein a surface modification process is performed under acid conditions while using a non-toxic catalyst. Under such a process, a solvent substitution process or a washing process may be omitted to simplify the manufacturing process. Further, collapse of a gel structure due to shrinkage is prevented and the efficiency of surface modification is high even when atmospheric pressure drying is performed, so that an aerogel having excellent thermal conductivity and degree of hydrophobicity may be manufactured. Also provided is an aerogel blanket manufactured by the method, thereby having low thermal conductivity and a low moisture impregnation rate since a hydrophobic group is uniformly formed inside a substrate.

Novel chemical sensors that improve detection and quantification of CO.sub.2 are critical to ensuring safe and cost-effective monitoring of carbon storage sites. Fiber optic (FO) based chemical sensor systems are promising field-deployable systems for real-time monitoring of CO.sub.2 in geological formations for long-range distributed sensing. In this work, a mixed-matrix composite integrated FO sensor system was developed that reliably operates as a detector for gas-phase and dissolved CO.sub.2. A mixed-matrix composite sensor coating on the FO sensor comprising plasmonic nanocrystals and zeolite embedded in a polymer matrix. The mixed-matrix composite FO sensor showed excellent reversibility/stability in a high humidity environment and sensitivity to gas-phase CO.sub.2 over a large concentration range. The sensor exhibited the ability to sense CO.sub.2 in the presence of other geologically relevant gases, which is of importance for applications in geological formations. A prototype FO sensor configuration which possesses a robust sensing capability for monitoring dissolved CO.sub.2 in natural water was demonstrated. Reproducibility was confirmed over many cycles, both in a laboratory setting and in the field.

Novel chemical sensors that improve detection and quantification of CO.sub.2 are critical to ensuring safe and cost-effective monitoring of carbon storage sites. Fiber optic (FO) based chemical sensor systems are promising field-deployable systems for real-time monitoring of CO.sub.2 in geological formations for long-range distributed sensing. In this work, a mixed-matrix composite integrated FO sensor system was developed that reliably operates as a detector for gas-phase and dissolved CO.sub.2. A mixed-matrix composite sensor coating on the FO sensor comprising plasmonic nanocrystals and zeolite embedded in a polymer matrix. The mixed-matrix composite FO sensor showed excellent reversibility/stability in a high humidity environment and sensitivity to gas-phase CO.sub.2 over a large concentration range. The sensor exhibited the ability to sense CO.sub.2 in the presence of other geologically relevant gases, which is of importance for applications in geological formations. A prototype FO sensor configuration which possesses a robust sensing capability for monitoring dissolved CO.sub.2 in natural water was demonstrated. Reproducibility was confirmed over many cycles, both in a laboratory setting and in the field.

A method of producing a glass briquette in which reclaimed glass fines are mixed with a binder material to create a mixture. The mixture is subsequently compressed in a chamber to form a briquette having the shape of the interior of the chamber. The reclaimed glass includes glass fines of a size of smaller than 10 mm. The method is performed without melting the glass fines such that the resulting briquette contains the discrete glass fines held in the binder and may be used as a furnace ingredient for later glass product production. The glass briquette may contain other batch ingredients required in the production of glass.

A method of producing a glass briquette in which reclaimed glass fines are mixed with a binder material to create a mixture. The mixture is subsequently compressed in a chamber to form a briquette having the shape of the interior of the chamber. The reclaimed glass includes glass fines of a size of smaller than 10 mm. The method is performed without melting the glass fines such that the resulting briquette contains the discrete glass fines held in the binder and may be used as a furnace ingredient for later glass product production. The glass briquette may contain other batch ingredients required in the production of glass.

A thermal insulation material includes inorganic fibers and an endothermic material dispersed throughout the inorganic fibers. The endothermic material may be incorporated into the inorganic fibers during a fiber attenuation process. The endothermic material may be particles entangled within a web of the inorganic fibers or may be coated onto surfaces of the inorganic fibers.

A thermal insulation material includes inorganic fibers and an endothermic material dispersed throughout the inorganic fibers. The endothermic material may be incorporated into the inorganic fibers during a fiber attenuation process. The endothermic material may be particles entangled within a web of the inorganic fibers or may be coated onto surfaces of the inorganic fibers.

A composite yarn comprising a continuous multifilament core yarn incorporated in a matrix, is characterized in that the matrix comprises at least one polymer material and at least one reinforcing filler, the reinforcing filler being formed from functionalized particles, said particles having a median size (d.sub.v50) of less than 40 μm.

A process for manufacturing such a composite yarn, comprises at least one step of depositing, by coating or extrusion, a matrix comprising a polymer and a reinforcing filler, onto a core yarn.

A textile surface comprises at least one such composite yarn.

A composite yarn comprising a continuous multifilament core yarn incorporated in a matrix, is characterized in that the matrix comprises at least one polymer material and at least one reinforcing filler, the reinforcing filler being formed from functionalized particles, said particles having a median size (d.sub.v50) of less than 40 μm.

A process for manufacturing such a composite yarn, comprises at least one step of depositing, by coating or extrusion, a matrix comprising a polymer and a reinforcing filler, onto a core yarn.

A textile surface comprises at least one such composite yarn.