Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Xuan Wang, Shuya Shan, Sheldon Q. Shi, Yaoli Zhang, Liping Cai, Lee M. Smith
Summary: The study successfully converted bamboo into a transparent material with high optical transmittance and strength through pretreatment with low concentration sodium hydroxide. This transparent bamboo, with improved total optical transmissivity up to 80% and low heat conductivity, can significantly enhance energy-saving performance and serve as a promising alternative to traditional glass in various fields.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Junheng Wang, Laifei Cheng, Fang Ye, Kai Zhao
Summary: The new generation of aircraft focuses on high speed, long endurance, high mobility, and repeatability. However, as the flight speed increases, the surface temperature of the radome may rise to extremely high levels, causing the antenna inside to fail. To protect the antenna, a thermal insulation system with electromagnetic wave-transparent ability and high-temperature resistance is urgently required. In this study, a novel amorphous/nanocrystalline boron nitride (BN) nanobelt aerogel was successfully synthesized and showed promising lightweight, thermal stability, wideband wave-transparent performance, and thermal insulation property. The BN aerogel has potential applications as an electromagnetic wave-transparent thermal insulator and fire-resistant material.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Cijian Zhang, Shicong Song, Qian Liu, Jiahui Li, Qi Cao, Shouhai Zhang, Xigao Jian, Zhihuan Weng
Summary: By introducing bisphenol A-type polysulfone (PSF) as a precursor, researchers have successfully obtained an innovative aerogel with excellent stability and capable of meeting the thermal insulation needs at higher temperatures. The structural properties of PSF aerogels could be tailored by modifying the PSF through a simple one-step chloromethylation process and changing the degree of chloromethyl and types of amino crosslinkers. Compared to aerogels made with triethylenetetramine, aerogels obtained with polyetheramine D230 showed better structural stability, higher specific surface area, and lower thermal conductivity.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jiafei Ren, Xing Huang, Jianjun Shi, Wei Wang, Junning Li, Ying Zhang, Haikun Chen, Ruolin Han, Guangxin Chen, Qifang Li, Zheng Zhou
Summary: This study reports a hybrid silica aerogel with excellent comprehensive performance, prepared using methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) and multi-alkoxy polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) as co-precursors. The hybrid aerogel exhibits high strength, low density, uniform mesopores, high specific surface area, low thermal conductivity, good thermal stability, high transparency, superhydrophobicity, and excellent oil/water separation capability and self-cleaning properties. It also shows superb compressive resilience and exceptional fatigue resistance.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Jonas Garemark, Jesus E. Perea-Buceta, Daniel Rico del Cerro, Stephen Hall, Barbara Berke, Ilkka Kilpelainen, Lars A. Berglund, Yuanyuan Li
Summary: This study proposes a scalable, nonadditive synthesis method to obtain anisotropic aerogels directly from wood, which have excellent thermal insulation properties. The synthesized wood aerogels have a unique nanostructure and show high strength and low thermal conductivity. The energy-efficient synthesis process and controllable nanostructure make them suitable for large-scale design and structure control of biobased aerogels.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jiebin Tang, Zhaoping Song, Xi Lu, Ningbo Li, Liping Yang, Tianyu Sun, Yinghan Wang, Yang Shao, Hong Liu, Guobin Xue
Summary: Passive cooling technology is a zero-energy and eco-friendly method that reflects sunlight to minimize input energy, effectively using solar-thermal and ambient thermal energy. This system has high application potential in thermal concentration and environmental cooling processes.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Xiyu Yu, Xingjie Ren, Xinyu Wang, G. H. Tang, Mu Du
Summary: In this study, a transparent aerogel comprising SiO2/Al2O3 core-shell particles was proposed for high-temperature concentrated solar power plants. The radiative properties were predicted using Discrete Dipoles Approximation (DDA) and Monte Carlo (MC) method. An optimal design of the core-shell aerogel at different temperatures was conducted, and a maximum enhancement of 22.6% in greenhouse selectivity was achieved compared to pure alumina aerogel at 700 degrees C. This work provides a promising method for high-efficient transparent thermal insulating aerogel in high-temperature CSP plants.
COMPOSITES COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Marwa Ammar, Ameni Mokni, Hatem Mhiri, Philippe Bournot
Summary: This paper presents a numerical investigation of an innovative design and manufacturing approach for a flat plate solar air collector operating with natural convection. The study determined the most optimized configuration for a vertically mounted collector with seven perforated TIM-PS inclined at +45 degrees. This innovative facade collector can achieve a thermal efficiency around 60% while maintaining lightweight and low cost.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zachary J. Berquist, Andrew J. Gayle, Neil P. Dasgupta, Andrej Lenert
Summary: Transparent refractory aerogels show improved stability and receiver efficiency, enabling the use of lower-cost optical focusing systems and eliminating the need for highly evacuated receivers. Transitioning to higher operating temperatures can facilitate the use of advanced supercritical CO2 power cycles and lead to approximately a 10% improvement in solar-to-electrical conversion efficiency.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Satoru Takeshita, Takumi Ono
Summary: A new type of transparent aerogels with biopolymer-polysiloxane double networks is introduced. The drawbacks of strong hydrophilicity and difficulty in achieving homogeneous nanoscale structures in biopolymer aerogels are overcome by incorporating a polysiloxane network. The resulting alginate-polymethylsilsesquioxane aerogel exhibits high optical transparency, water repellency, superinsulation properties, and improved flexibility, making it a promising material for various applications.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Chayanan Boonrawd, Supan Yodyingyong, Lazhar Benyahia, Darapond Triampo
Summary: In this study, a novel method for mixing natural rubber latex (NRL) was proposed. The NRL mixing process involved using n-hexane as the dispersed phase for silica aerogel, which acted as a thermal insulation filler. The resulting silica aerogel/NR composites exhibited a unique macroporous structure and excellent thermal insulation performance. The thermal conductivity of the composites decreased with increasing silica aerogel content, while the density and heat retardant ability were improved compared to the neat NR sheet. The composites also maintained flexibility and comparable glass transition temperatures (T-g) with the neat NR, indicating potential applications in various temperature conditions.
Article
Polymer Science
Baolu Shi, Long Xie, Bin Ma, Zhiliang Zhou, Baosheng Xu, Lijie Qu
Summary: SiO2 aerogels with unique structural characteristics and good optical transparency have the potential to be used in aerogel glass for thermal insulation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cijian Zhang, Shicong Song, Qi Cao, Jiahui Li, Qian Liu, Shouhai Zhang, Xigao Jian, Zhihuan Weng
Summary: In this study, a directional freeze-drying method was used to prepare an anisotropic honeycomb three-dimensional porous aerogel with water-soluble chitosan and water-soluble biobased epoxy resin. The resulting aerogel had anisotropic mechanical and thermal management properties, making it suitable for thermal insulation materials.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
Mengmeng Yang, Yang Lixia, Zhaofeng Chen, Wu Qiong, Yapeng Wang, Tianlong Liu, Manna Li
Summary: A novel flexible SiO2 aerogel composite nanofiber membrane with a strawberry-like structure and excellent thermal insulation properties was prepared by electrospinning technology. The addition of nano-pore structure SiO2 aerogel particles resulted in a discontinuous heat transfer path, giving the membrane an ultra-low thermal conductivity and large surface area. The membrane also showed great fire resistance, high-temperature stability, and temperature-invariant flexibility, making it promising for insulation and gas adsorption applications. The successful preparation of this flexible nanofiber membrane opens up a new pathway for designing materials with excellent thermal insulation and adsorption properties.
CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Porus Sunil Jadhav, Arpita Sarkar, Saikiran Pasupathy, Shenqiang Ren
Summary: A biogenic composite material made from wheat straw and aerogel was developed, which has low thermal conductivity and good insulation performance.
ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS
(2023)
Editorial Material
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Cristina Cornaro, Cinzia Buratti
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Soledad Mateo, Pilar Mateo, Marco Barbanera, Cinzia Buratti, Alberto J. Moya
Article
Energy & Fuels
Domenico Palladino, Iole Nardi, Cinzia Buratti
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Paola Ricciardi, Elisa Belloni, Francesca Merli, Cinzia Buratti
Summary: Recycled waste materials from industrial and agricultural processes show promise as thermal and acoustic insulating solutions in building applications, contributing to environmental impact reduction. The study evaluates the thermal performance of panels made from cork scraps, rice husk, coffee chaff, and granulated tires, aiming to select the best compromise solutions from the thermal and environmental perspectives.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Linda Barelli, Elisa Belloni, Gianni Bidini, Cinzia Buratti, Emilia Maria Pinchi
Summary: This paper presents the development of an automatic tool based on Fuzzy Logic for identifying proper solutions for energy retrofitting in existing buildings. The tool is efficient, requires minimal building data as input, and saves time and effort compared to current expert software tools and methods.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Chiara Quintaliani, Francesca Merli, Costanza Vittoria Fiorini, Marco Corradi, Emanuela Speranzini, Cinzia Buratti
Summary: This paper investigates the influence of adding vegetal fibers on thermal and acoustic performance in natural hydraulic lime. Different types and sizes of fibers were used, and it was found that rice husk and Khorasan wheat chaff can significantly reduce thermal conductivity. Ground fibers showed good thermal and acoustic absorption performance. However, the addition of fibers reduced sound insulation properties.
Editorial Material
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Cinzia Buratti, Francesca Merli
Article
Energy & Fuels
V. Costanzo, F. Nocera, G. Evola, C. Buratti, A. Lo Faro, L. Marletta, P. Domenighini
Summary: This research provides new insights into the application of colored stained glasses in architecture through on-site spectral measurements of colored glasses in a winter garden, and analysis of the perceived chromaticity using the CIE Color Space. The study found that indoor light is perceived as color-neutral despite the majority of glass elements being colored, thanks to the strategic placement of clear panes. Additionally, good reliability in daylight simulation was achieved through a simplified modeling approach.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Costanza V. Fiorini, Francesca Merli, Elisa Belloni, Ann M. Anderson, Mary K. Carroll, Cinzia Buratti
Summary: This study investigates the effect of accelerated aging on the optical and color rendering properties of monolithic aerogel. The results show that after 2.6 years of accelerated aging, there are no significant changes in the optical transmission properties of the aerogel, but the color tends to yellow and exhibit a bluish hue.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Francesca Merli, Costanza Vittoria Fiorini, Marco Barbanera, Giorgia Pietroni, Francesco Spaccini, Cinzia Buratti
Summary: This study investigates the thermal, acoustic, and hygrothermal properties of innovative panels made from leather waste in a bag factory. The panels were compared with other insulation panels made from residual materials. The results show that the panels have good thermal conductivity, sound absorption coefficient, and water vapor resistance factor values, making them a viable alternative to standard materials.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
A. R. Hassani, P. Domenighini, E. Belloni, T. Ihara, C. Buratti
Summary: Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) is a significant factor in heating and cooling loads for transparent and translucent building elements. There is limited research on estimating SHGC for innovative highly insulating solutions like aerogel-based windows, and existing data lack accuracy. This paper presents a new analytical model for calculating the solar factor of granular aerogel-filled glazing systems. Experimental and simulation results were compared to validate the model, and it was found that the simulation method was more suitable due to its lesser dependence on weather conditions.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Costanza Vittoria Fiorini, Francesca Merli, Elisa Belloni, Ann M. Anderson, Mary K. Carroll, Cinzia Buratti
Summary: This study investigates the influence of 3-mm monolithic aerogel in the gap of small-scale prototype glazing systems on optical, thermal, and color rendering performance. The results show that thin aerogel glazing systems can increase visible spectral transmittance, reduce thermal transmittance, and improve color rendering.
ENERGY AND BUILDINGS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Costanza Vittoria Fiorini, Francesca Merli, Elisa Belloni, Mary K. Carroll, Ann M. Anderson, Cinzia Buratti
Summary: Monolithic silica aerogel shows great potential as a material for innovative glazing systems due to its excellent properties. This study investigates the long-term performance of silica aerogel by subjecting samples to artificial aging using temperature and solar radiation effects. The results show a deterioration in the aerogel properties after a natural service life of 12 years, equivalent to 4 months in the experiment. The presence of aerogel also leads to slight reductions in optical and acoustic performance and color changes.
Article
Acoustics
P. Domenighini, C. Buratti
Summary: This study investigates the influence of air temperature and relative humidity on the tune of pipe organs by monitoring a real pipe organ over the course of a year. Normalized frequency and absolute humidity parameters were introduced to analyze the data and fitting models and their equations were extracted. The study confirms the slight influence of humidity on the sounding frequency.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Francesca Merli, Elisa Belloni, Cinzia Buratti
Summary: The researchers collected and utilized various high-quality wood waste from a window manufacturer to create eco-sustainable panels with promising acoustic and thermal insulating properties. Different tree species and sizes of wood were used, along with olive tree pruning scraps. Panels were assembled using various techniques and adhesives, showing thermal and acoustic performance comparable to existing products. Oak wood panels exhibited superior sound absorption and insulation properties, with a low environmental impact, especially when assembled with natural glue.
