Hollow Silica Particles: A Novel Strategy for Cost Reduction

Abstract

Thermal insulation materials are highly sought after for applications such as building envelopes, refrigerators, cryogenic fuel storage chambers, and water supply piping. However, current insulation materials either do not provide sufficient insulation or are costly. A new class of insulation materials, hollow silica particles, has attracted tremendous attention due to its potential to provide a very high degree of thermal insulation. However, current synthesis strategies provide hollow silica particles at very low yields and at high cost, thus, making the particles unsuitable for real-world applications. In the present work, a synthesis process that produces hollow silica particles at very high yields and at a lower cost is presented. The effect of an infrared heat absorber, carbon black, on the thermal conductivity of hollow silica particles is also investigated and it is inferred that a carbon black–hollow silica particle mixture can be a better insulating material than hollow silica particles alone.

Progress and Advances in Porous Silica‐based Scaffolds for Enhanced Solid‐state Hydrogen Storage: A Systematic Literature Review

“…The charge density of silica increases with the pH increase. Hence, the rapid formation of hollow particles is attained [136] …”

“…Adapted from Bao et al [135] with permission from Elsevier. [135] with permission from Elsevier, and from Spence et al [136] with permission from MDPI.…”

“…A simple illustration of (a) template synthesis and (b) spray drying techniques. (c) SEM image and (d) TEM images of hollow silica particles Adapted from Bao et al[135] with permission from Elsevier, and from Spence et al[136] with permission from MDPI.…”

A lightweight thermally insulating and moisture-stable composite made of hollow silica particles

“…HSPs with an average diameter of 300 nm were synthesized by using a previously reported method (details ESI †). 30,32 CFs (diameter: 50-100 nm; 3% solid content, from University of Maine Process Development Center) were mixed in water (4 mg mL À1 ) by homogenizing with a homogenizer (IKA-T18 digital Ultra Turrax) at 15 000 rpm for 8 h before mixing with HSPs. HSPs and a CF-based composite was prepared by mixing 80 wt% HSPs with 19.5 wt% CF in water.…”

“…[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31] We recently demonstrated that HSPs can be synthesized very inexpensively by recycling the solvents. 32 HSPs can provide very high thermal insulation at a lower cost; however, because HSPs are a powder that is usually in the nano-micrometer size range, they are a health hazard, difficult to handle and transport, and can be messy to use. 1,33,34 For example, it is difficult to ll HSPs in a wall.…”