Prospects of using aerogels in construction

Scientists and engineers around the world are continuously improving the properties of thermal insulation materials. It is a necessary process to save the basic energy resources of a building. This article is devoted to the innovative heat-insulating material – aerogel. Aerogels are new materials with a unique combination of such properties as high porosity, low density and high specific surface area. These properties are due to the aerogel nanostructure. The article describes in detail the process of obtaining aerogel. There is a comparative table of aerogels on different bases (quartz, carbon fiber and fiberglass), as well as a comparison of Pyrogel and Cryogel. One of the products on the basis of aerogel is an airbag, invented in Switzerland. The examples of practical application of aerogels given in the article prove that it is an effective heat insulator. Today, one of the identified deficiencies is an expensive manufacturing