A heat insulating material includes an aerogel that has macro-pores and meso-pores. A method for manufacturing a heat insulating material, including: a sol preparation step of adding a gelling agent into sodium silicate such that a molar ratio of the gelling agent relative to NaO.sub.2 is 0.1 to 0.75, and adjusting a sol into which macro-pores are introduced by leaving unreacted Na and non-cross-linked oxygen in a siloxane skeleton; an impregnating and gelling step of impregnating a nonwoven fabric fiber structure with the sol to form a composite of hydrogel-nonwoven fabric fiber; a hydrophobizating step of mixing the formed composite of hydrogel-nonwoven fabric fiber with a silylating agent to modify a surface thereof; and a drying step of removing a liquid contained in the surface modified composite of hydrogel-nonwoven fabric fiber by drying under a temperature and pressure lower than respective critical values.

A method for the preparation of a composite article containing aerogel particles and ceramic fibers, as well as to a composite article obtained by this method, are described.

A method for the preparation of a composite article containing aerogel particles and ceramic fibers, as well as to a composite article obtained by this method, are described.

The current disclosure provides reinforced aerogel compositions that are durable and easy to handle, have favorable performance in aqueous environments, have favorable insulation properties, and have favorable, reaction to fire, combustion and flame-resistance properties. Also provided are methods of preparing or manufacturing such reinforced aerogel compositions. In certain embodiments, the composition has a silica-based aerogel framework, reinforced with an open-cell macroporous framework, and includes one or more fire-class additives, where the silica-based aerogel framework comprises at least one hydrophobic-bound silicon and the composition or each of its components has desired properties.

The current disclosure provides reinforced aerogel compositions that are durable and easy to handle, have favorable performance in aqueous environments, have favorable insulation properties, and have favorable, reaction to fire, combustion and flame-resistance properties. Also provided are methods of preparing or manufacturing such reinforced aerogel compositions. In certain embodiments, the composition has a silica-based aerogel framework, reinforced with an open-cell macroporous framework, and includes one or more fire-class additives, where the silica-based aerogel framework comprises at least one hydrophobic-bound silicon and the composition or each of its components has desired properties.

Provided is a hydrophobic silica aerogel blanket comprising holes, so that the diffusion of a surface modifier is facilitated in a blanket during a surface modification process to improve the efficiency of surface modification. Accordingly, the hydrophobic silica aerogel has not only excellent physical properties such as specific surface area and thermal conductivity, but also a controlled degree of hydrophobicity, and thus, can have high hydrophobicity.

Provided is a hydrophobic silica aerogel blanket comprising holes, so that the diffusion of a surface modifier is facilitated in a blanket during a surface modification process to improve the efficiency of surface modification. Accordingly, the hydrophobic silica aerogel has not only excellent physical properties such as specific surface area and thermal conductivity, but also a controlled degree of hydrophobicity, and thus, can have high hydrophobicity.

The present invention provides an aerogel blanket including a blanket base, aerogel coupled on the surface of the blanket base, and aerogel located at a space between the blanket bases, the aerogel coupled on the surface of the blanket base is 50 wt % based on the total weight of aerogel, wherein the aerogel blanket has the number of aerogel particles separated from the aerogel blanket ranging from 13,600 to 90,000 per ft.sup.3, when vibrating the aerogel blanket at a frequency of 1 Hz to 30 Hz for 2 hours to 10 hours.

The present invention provides an aerogel blanket including a blanket base, aerogel coupled on the surface of the blanket base, and aerogel located at a space between the blanket bases, the aerogel coupled on the surface of the blanket base is 50 wt % based on the total weight of aerogel, wherein the aerogel blanket has the number of aerogel particles separated from the aerogel blanket ranging from 13,600 to 90,000 per ft.sup.3, when vibrating the aerogel blanket at a frequency of 1 Hz to 30 Hz for 2 hours to 10 hours.

The current disclosure provides reinforced aerogel compositions that are durable and easy to handle, have favorable performance in aqueous environments, have favorable insulation properties, and have favorable, reaction to fire, combustion and flame-resistance properties. Also provided are methods of preparing or manufacturing such reinforced aerogel compositions. In certain embodiments, the composition has a silica-based aerogel framework, reinforced with an open-cell macroporous framework, and includes one or more fire-class additives, where the silica-based aerogel framework comprises at least one hydrophobic-bound silicon and the composition or each of its components has desired properties.