High strength SiO2 aerogel insulation

Silica aerogels with titanium dioxide powder and inorganic binders were made using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), water and HF catalyst, followed by supercritical drying with ethanol leading to crack-free monolithic aerogels. Strength of the monolithic silica aerogels increased from 1.8 X 10(4) Pa to 1.2 X 10(5) Pa with doping, while the thermal conductivity of the doped silica aerogel remains below 0.02 w/m K at room temperature in air. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.