DONG Yongquan , WANG Ming , LI Mingjun , TANG Xinghua

（Department of materials chemistry Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang Jiangxi 330063,China）

Abstract: SiO₂ aerogel insulating materials were prepared by sol -gel process and drying under ambient pressure, using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) as precursor and thermoplastic polyurethane hollow fiber as phase of reinforcement. The effects of different types of fibers, laying ways of hollow fibers and specifications of hollow fibers on the thermal insulation of SiO₂ aerogels were investigated. The results show that the thermal conductivity of the SiO₂ aerogels reinforced by TPU hollow fibers decreased slightly, while its strength was improved greatly. The SiO₂ aerogels reinforced by vertically laid TPU hollow fibers with proper inner diameter and wall thickness have good hermal insulation.

Keywords: SiO₂ aerogel, insulating material, hollow fiber, sol-gel