Hydrophobic and thermal insulation properties of silica aerogel/epoxy composite

Silica aerogel/epoxy composite was prepared by dry mixing hydrophobic aerogels with epoxy powders and heat pressing method. The composite materials show a serviceability temperature up to 250 °C with low thermal conductivity (0.11–0.044 W/m k) and hydrophobic property (water contact angle of 117–140°). Transmission electron microscope photos proved that part of silica aerogels nanopores had been immersed by epoxy. Based on this phenomenon, an immersion model was build up to study the effect of immersion on the thermal insulation and hydrophobic properties. In addition a thermal conductivity prediction equation of aerogel/polymer system was obtained and confirmed by comparing the experimental data.