Aerogel‐Modified Ultra‐Lightweight Foam Concrete

Abstract

Foam concrete is a highly promising inorganic thermal insulation material, while aerogel possesses extremely low thermal conductivity. However, the interaction between aerogel particles and the foam concrete has not yet been thoroughly investigated.

In this study, finite element modeling (FEM) was employed to incorporate aerogel particles of varying sizes at different locations within the solid matrix. The effective thermal conductivity of the system was calculated and compared with experimental measurement. results showed that thermal conductivity decreased with increasing aerogel content, and became more significant after a critical dosage was reached. Finite element analysis shows that aerogel particles located in the body‐centered and face‐centered regions of the thermal framework exhibit significant thermal insulation effects, whereas particles in the edge‐centered regions contribute very little.

This suggests only when the content reaches a certain level does a sufficient amount of aerogel enter the critical heat conduction pathways and form a thermal barrier, thereby rapidly improving thermal insulation performance. Based on these findings, future optimization may be achieved by matching the size and the exsisting position of the aerogel particles.