The energy consumed by industrial buildings and maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures accounts for more than 30% of the world's total annual energy consumption. The use of thermal insulation materials can increase the energy utilization rate of buildings and reduce energy consumption. However, traditional organic thermal insulation materials are generally flammable, and the use of organic flame retardants will cause harm to the environment and human health, while the thermal conductivity of inorganic thermal insulation materials is generally high. Although the flame retardancy of the organic-inorganic composite thermal insulation materials currently used on the market has been improved, it is still difficult to withstand long-term flame erosion, because the monodispersed inorganic components will gradually fall off as the polymer matrix burns. Loss of protection.

Researchers have developed a composite aerogel with a double network structure, with a dendritic microporous structure, the size of the fiber is within 20 nanometers, and the two components each form a continuous network, realizing organic and inorganic components. Uniform dispersion on the nanometer scale. Researchers can control the density, inorganic content, mechanical strength and other physical parameters of the composite aerogel by adjusting the amount of silicon source added, thereby enhancing the mechanical stability of its structure. This composite aerogel can withstand 60% compression without breaking, and has good mechanical strength and workability; the two components of the aerogel have a strong interaction, which synergizes its porosity, resulting in Very good thermal insulation effect, not only better than traditional commercial foamed polystyrene, mineral wool and other industrial materials, but also maintains a good thermal insulation effect in low temperature and low humidity environments.

In addition, this unique double network structure also gives the aerogel excellent fire retardant and flame resistance properties. The researchers used propane butane blowtorch flames (13000C) and alcohol lamp flames (500~6000C) to detect the fire resistance of aerogels, and used infrared thermal imaging cameras to record the temperature changes on the back of the samples. After 30 minutes of testing, the temperature of the back of the sample under the flame of a blowtorch was stable at about 3000C, and the temperature of the back of the sample under the flame of an alcohol lamp was stabilized at about 1500C, and as the organic components burned, the silica network was exposed and attached to the aerogel. The surface will not fall off and continue to play the role of heat insulation.

Studies have shown that the strength of reinforced concrete structures will drop rapidly when heated above 3500C, causing collapse. The use of this new type of material can avoid the failure of the load-bearing structure of the building in the event of a fire, and buy precious time for the evacuation of personnel.