EP2531553A1

EP2531553A1 - High-performance thermal insulation materials

Info

Publication number: EP2531553A1
Application number: EP11707455A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Daniela Pasquero; Claude Da Silva
Original assignee: Saint Gobain Isover SA France
Current assignee: Saint Gobain Isover SA France
Priority date: 2010-02-03
Filing date: 2011-02-03
Publication date: 2012-12-12
Also published as: JP2013518961A; US20150183947A1; JP6006119B2; RU2585645C2; FR2955863B1; RU2012137251A; BR112012019417B1; ZA201206096B; US9045609B2; US20120326071A1; FR2955863A1; US9249272B2; WO2011095745A1; BR112012019417A2

Abstract

The invention relates to a thermally insulating material that can be produced from the mixture of at least the following elements: an aqueous foam, silica aerogel particles, and at least one binder selected from an organic binder and a mineral binder.

Description

HIGH PERFORMANCE THERMAL INSULATION MATERIALS

The present invention relates to a high performance thermal insulation material, its manufacturing method, and its use in the field of construction to isolate the walls (exterior or interior) of buildings, or to fill gaps in the materials of construction.

Currently, in nine and renovation, to meet the specifications of building structures, it is essential to develop new materials particularly effective in terms of thermal insulation. The development of new materials that meet such a need is experiencing an unprecedented boom nowadays. However, it is often essential that such more insulating building materials maintain or even improve the properties sought for the construction of buildings (dwellings, etc.), in particular in terms of reducing the load, mechanical resistance, or, for example, sound insulation.

Moreover, there is nowadays a wide variety of thermal insulation products. Among the insulating products of current use, fibrous insulators, based on natural or synthetic fibers such as glass or rock wool, cellular insulators of the expanded or foamed polymer type, such as expanded polystyrene, can be mentioned mainly. extruded or polyurethane, and airgel mats, ie layered aerogels in the form of a web of mechanically strong entangled fibers, but for which it is difficult to print a particular shape.

Silica aerogels are the most efficient insulation products. However, their poor mechanical properties make it necessary to use them in combination with a reinforcing agent. Their use has remained very little developed until today, because their use in association with the usual insulation products (polystyrene ...) did not make it possible to obtain exploitable products, as underlined later in the text. Silica aerogels that can achieve thermal conductivities down to 12 mW / mK are produced from silica gel dried in special conditions. They may be in the form of either translucent granules which must be protected from handling, with application to insulating glass, or from fine powder and can not be used as such to constitute conventional insulating products such as insulating panels (thermal, acoustic ...) for the insulation of building walls.

In order to improve the thermal performance of polystyrene, it has already been proposed to manufacture composite materials containing a mixture of polystyrene and airgel.

Thus, examples of composite foam comprising 27-47% by volume of supercritical silica airgel in the form of 2-5 mm particles and between 53 and 73% by volume of styrene polymer foam are found in EP489319. The products are advertised with a thermal conductivity of 20 to 27 mW / m.K at 10 ° C.

These composites, however, can not be produced in large quantities, as is necessary for the manufacture of commercial products, because the airgel is of a friable nature that does not tolerate the friction experienced during a mixing operation with the polymer beads. In addition, the qualities of mechanical strength of such products remain insufficient and are significantly degraded with the increase in the proportion of airgel.

Also known are patent applications, US20080287561 and

WO03097227, the direct incorporation of a polymeric binder to airgel particles. The application US20080287561 relates more particularly to silica airgel composites such as composite materials made from aerogels associated with syntactic foams without hollow microspheres (glass or thermoplastic). These syntactic foams are obtained in particular through the use of an aqueous polymer ("water-based polymer") in the mixture. The thermal performances obtained by this technique are limited, the samples obtained by the protocol described in US20080287561 not making it possible to obtain thermal conductivities of less than 60 mW / m.K.

The application WO03097227 also relates to syntactic foams obtained in particular by virtue of the use of an aqueous polymeric binder ("aqueous binder ") in the form of foam. In this case, the foams are syntactic foams generated by the use of hollow microspheres (glass or thermoplastic). Such syntactic foams including the aforementioned microspheres are particularly expensive. In addition, again, the thermal performance obtained by this technique is limited, since the microspheres used degrade the high thermal performance provided by the airgel.

The present invention aims to provide a new type of insulating material demonstrating excellent thermal performance, while maintaining good mechanical strength and low densities for relief of the load. The present invention also aims at providing an innovative material that remains easy to spread during curing and to which it is possible to impart all desirable shapes, including molding.

In this respect, and to overcome the disadvantages of the state of the art, the present invention relates to a thermal insulating material capable of being obtained from the mixture of at least the following elements: an aqueous foam, particles silica airgel, an organic binder and / or a mineral binder.

The inventors have unexpectedly demonstrated that thermal insulating materials comprising silica aerogels prepared from aqueous foams make it possible to achieve thermal performances close to those of aerogels as such, with densities compatible for use as lightweight material. Such a thermal insulating material also demonstrates very good mechanical performance, especially in terms of compressive strength and deformability. The insulating material of the invention is therefore compatible both for use as a filler material, and for use on the surface, especially on the facade.

Silica aerogels used in the context of the present invention are prepared from commercial airgel granules, for example aerogels marketed by Cabot (Nanogel® TLD 302, etc.). They can be used after grinding and sieving or alternatively be used directly without any transformation. Aerogels are usually obtained from of a gel manufactured, for example by hydrolysis in the presence of a solvent and then gelling with catalysis, from an organic or inorganic precursor, and then by evaporation or extraction of the gel-forming liquid (for example at high temperature and / or or under pressure) to replace this liquid with a gas (in particular air). Aerogels can be produced especially in the form of foam, granules, blocks that are divided if necessary.

In addition to the aqueous foam and silica aerogels, the mixture for the preparation of the thermal insulating material comprises an organic and / or inorganic binder. It is used, for example, to allow the binding of the particles together and / or the binding of the particles to the rest of the material structure at the final product. In the remainder of the text, the term binder used alone will refer indifferently to a mineral binder, an organic binder or a binder system belonging to at least one of these two families.

Preferably, the thermally insulating material described above is capable of being prepared from at least the following elements, taken in quantities expressed as a percentage by weight relative to the total mass of the mixture (overall mixture used for the preparation of the material insulation), varying from 25 to 75% for the aqueous foam, from 5 to 35% for the silica airgel particles and from 5 to 35% for the binder.

Advantageously, the amount of aqueous foam varies from 35 to 65%, preferably from 45 to 55%, and even up to 50%.

Similarly, the amount of silica airgel particles advantageously varies from 17 to 25%, preferably from 21 to 23%, and even is 22%.

In the same way, the amount of binder advantageously varies from 17 to

25%, preferably 21 to 23%, and even 22%.

All combinations of ingredients taken within the aforementioned ranges of values are also possible.

The term "aqueous foam" in the meaning of the invention defines any type of foam obtained by a disordered stack of gas bubbles in an aqueous phase, in particular in a soapy liquid. Such a soap-like liquid comprises water and at least one surfactant compound. The aqueous foam used to obtain the insulating material of the invention is preferably prepared from a mixture comprising:

at least one cationic surfactant salt selected from one of the following compounds of general formula:

Ri

I Θ Θ RNR ₂ X

R

(I) wherein R is an aliphatic chain of 8 to 24 carbon atoms; R 1 is a group selected from alkyls containing 1 to 16 carbon atoms, hydroxyalkyls containing 1 to 16 carbon atoms, a benzyl group, a group which, taken together with the nitrogen of formula (I), gives a heterocycle optionally substituted with at least one fluorine atom; R ₂ and R ₃ are selected from groups consisting of an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, hydroxyalkyls containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a hydrogen atom, a benzyl group, a group which, taken together with the nitrogen of the formula (I), gives a heterocycle optionally substituted by at least one fluorine atom; and X ^" is a counter-anion;

at least one anionic surfactant salt selected from one of the following compounds of general formula (II):

RX ^" , Y ⁺ (II)

wherein R is an aliphatic chain of 10 to 24 carbon atoms; X ^" is a group bearing a negative charge selected from carboxylate, sulphate and phosphate groups, and Y ⁺ is a counter cation selected from ammonium, sodium and potassium groups.

Preferably, the ratio of the weight content of the cationic surfactant salt to the weight content of the anionic surfactant salt varies from 0.05: 1 to 15: 1, preferably from 0.2: 1 to 5: 1, or even 0.4: 1 at 2.5: 1. Advantageously, the cationic surfactant salt is selected from alkyltrimethylammonium salts containing an alkyl group having 10 to 22 carbon atoms, and is preferably selected from at least one of the following compounds: the bromide (or chloride) of dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (or chloride), hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (or chloride), octadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (or chloride), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (or chloride), cetylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride, cetyltriethylammonium bromide, and tallowtrimethylammonium chloride.

Preferably, the anionic surfactant salt is tallowtrimethylammonium chloride.

Advantageously, the anionic surfactant salt (s) mentioned above is (are) selected from at least one of the following compounds: ammonium stearate, potassium stearate and sodium stearate.

It is also possible alternatively or additionally to use anionic surfactants consisting of an alkali metal salt of an organic acid carrying an aliphatic chain containing 12 to 24 carbon atoms, advantageously a sodium, potassium or ammonium salt ( optionally substituted).

The group X ^" of the general formula (II) can be a carboxylate, sulphate or sulphonate group, and salts of carboxylates containing from 12 to 24 carbon atoms, selected for example from the salts of: myristate, palmitate, stearate, of oleate, or of the conjugated base of behenic acid, and in particular the selected anions derived from soap by hydrolysis of triglyceride (saponification), and other carboxylates such as those resulting from the treatment of acids. tallow fat including palmitate, stearate and oleate Other conjugated fatty acid bases may also be used, such as soaps / shower gels comprising fatty acids from natural sources such as tallow , coconut oil or even palm oil. Preferably, the cationic and anionic surfactants are comprised in two distinct aqueous phases and are mixed in the contents indicated above to form the foam.

The preparation of such an aqueous foam is described in the application WO96 / 25475.

The aqueous foam can also be prepared from the two-component kits marketed by the company Allied Foam (referenced 425A and 510B). Such kits consist of a first aqueous mixture containing an anionic surfactant and a second aqueous mixture comprising a cationic surfactant and a latex.

The inventors have shown that these aqueous foams comprising a cationic surfactant and anionic surfactant have the advantage of remaining particularly stable during the incorporation of silica airgel particles. It becomes easy enough to control the amount of silica airgel to be introduced into the mixture for the preparation of the insulating material of the invention. This aspect is particularly interesting because it allows access to a wide range of different products. Indeed, silica aerogels being quite expensive, it is preferable to be able to control their content to be able to prepare more affordable products in terms of cost, without degrading too much the thermal properties and mechanical strength. Increasing the foam / airgel ratio also makes it possible to prepare ventilated advantage systems, thus more compressible when this is associated with an intrinsic flexibility of the material, which is sought for certain uses, such as, for example, soil insulation (particularly the sound insulation) or the filling of honeycomb structures. The use of stable foams also makes it possible to obtain a material which remains of low density, even with lower concentrations of silica airgel.

Other aqueous foams may be used in the context of the present invention, for example, Gillette Foam Regular Foam.

It is also possible to use aqueous foams comprising a water / glycerol mixture, one or more surfactants (as previously defined) and one or more zwitterions. Among the zwitterions, there may be mentioned amino acids or derivatives, or molecules synthesized from acids amines. Betaines may also be mentioned, such as phosphorus betaines and / or ammonium betaines.

Preferably, such aqueous foams comprise a mixture of 25 to 55% glycerol (expressed in percentages by weight relative to the total mass of foam).

Also preferably, these aqueous foams comprise less than 5%, advantageously less than 2%, or even less than 1% of preferably anionic surfactant.

Also preferably, these aqueous foams comprise less than 5%, preferably less than 2%, or even less than 1% of zwitterion, preferably selected from ammonium betaines.

All combinations of these different ingredients are also possible by varying the contents in particular as previously expressed.

More preferably, such an aqueous foam comprises 35 to 45% of glycerol, ideally 40%, mixed with less than 0.5% of dodecylpolyoxyethylene-3-sulfate, less than 0.5% of cocoamidopropyl betaine and less than 0.05% of myristic acid.

All the foam combinations mentioned above in the context of the invention are also possible in combination in the mixture intended to prepare the thermal insulating material.

Preferably, the binder used in the composition used to obtain the thermally insulating material according to the invention is an organic binder, preferably a latex.

Even more preferably, the thermal insulating material according to the invention is obtained from a mixture comprising at least one organic binder and at least one inorganic binder. Advantageously, the weight of organic binder represents a content of less than 25% relative to the total weight of binder (organic and inorganic), preferably this level is less than 15%, more preferably it is less than 10%, or even less than 10%. 8%. Most preferably, the binder (s) can (s) consist solely of inorganic material (s), which ensures the fireproof properties of the insulating material.

The term "latex" in the sense of the present invention refers in particular latex polymers usually used in building materials. Among the polymers that may be included in the composition of such a powder, mention may be made, for example, of elastomeric latices, thermoplastic latices and thermosetting latices.

Preferably, in the context of the present invention, the term "latex" means an aqueous emulsion or dispersion of one or more natural or synthetic, generally thermoplastic, polymeric substances. The polymer (s) may be self-emulsifiable, or else the emulsion or dispersion is stabilized by suitable surfactants. A latex useful in the context of the present invention advantageously has a glass transition temperature Tg of less than 50 ° C. Ideally the Tg should be between -50 ° C and 25 ° C, preferably between -20 ° C and 10 ° C, preferably between -10 ° C and 0 ° C, or be substantially -5 ° C. Such ranges of Tg make it possible to obtain a desired rigidity for the insulating materials to be applied to a support in the field of building construction, since the product obtained is flexible and deformable.

It is preferred to use polymers with a Tg at most slightly less than room temperature to ensure the formation of a polymeric film which imparts the proper properties of the polymer in the cured material. Polymers having Tg's which are not too low so that the polymer is not too soft, which would give a material that is too flexible, are also preferred.

Advantageously, the latex contains a polymer, copolymer or terpolymer (or more) of vinyl type, acrylic type and / or carboxylic acid derivative. Vinyl-type latices, in particular with pendant ester functional groups, or based on copolymers of vinyl chloride and of olefin, whether or not silanized, are particularly preferred. Mention may in particular be made of vinyl acetate-based latexes, in particular based on polyvinyl acetate homopolymer, or vinyl acetate copolymer, and especially acid and / or ester copolymer. (meth) acrylic, maleic ester, olefin and / or vinyl chloride, or based on vinyl chloride / ethylene copolymer. Other useful latexes may be chosen from those containing a polymer of acrylic and / or methacrylic type, especially an acrylonitrile / acrylic ester copolymer, or styrene / acid or silanized acrylic ester (that is to say copolymerized with a monomer with ethylenic unsaturation carrying at least one silane or silanol function).

The latex may advantageously be a styrene-acrylic copolymer, or an all-acrylic copolymer (derived from different acrylic monomers) obtained by radical polymerization in emulsion or dispersion. These latices are stabilized with acrylic acid and / or acrylonitrile. Such polymers marketed by BASF are found in the range referenced by the name Acronal®, in particular Acronal® S 400. It is also possible to use alternatively or in combination any latex (one or more) of this Acronal range. ®.

It is advantageously possible to use the powders marketed by the company Hexion ™ and the Axilat ™ UP range such as the Axilat ™ UP 620 E. The Axilat ™ UP 620 E, as well as the Axilat ™ UP 600 B and the Axilat ™ UP 820 A, are terpolymers of vinyl acetate, vinyl versatate and maleic ester.

The thermal conductivity of the material according to the invention is generally less than or equal to 27 mW / m.K.

Preferably, the thermal conductivity of the material according to the invention is less than or equal to 25 mW / m · K, and is advantageously less than or equal to 23 mW / m · K; particularly preferably it is less than or equal to 20 mW / m.K, or even less than or equal to 19 mW / m.K.

The densities of thermal insulating materials obtained according to the invention described above are generally less than 250 kg / m ³ .

The densities of thermal insulation materials obtained according to the invention described above are typically less than or equal to 150 kg / m ³ (for comparison the density of an airgel block is of the order of 150 kg / m ³ ). Preferably, the density of the insulating material according to the invention is less than or equal to 130 kg / m ³ and advantageously preferred 120 kg / m ³ , advantageously the density is less than or equal to 100 kg / m ³ , or even less than or equal to 85 kg / m ³ , and even less than or equal to 70 kg / m ³ , or even less than or equal to at 55 kg / m ³ .

All combinations of these ranges of thermal conductivity value and density are also possible.

The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing the thermal insulation material described above, comprising the steps of: a) preparing an aqueous foam;

b) adding at least one binder;

c) adding the airgel powder by stirring or mixing;

d) allow the mixture to dry; and

e) possibly shaping during drying.

Alternatively, it is possible to add the binder directly to step a) during the preparation of the aqueous foam. This aspect is dependent on the binder used: when latexes in the form of powder are used, the binder can be added after the preparation of the stable aqueous foam, that is to say in step b), whereas uses a latex in the form of a dispersion / suspension in a liquid (preferably aqueous) it will be added preferably in step a).

The shaping and drying step may comprise casting operations or molding of said preparation in cavities of appropriate shape or section. The term molding is to be taken in the broadest sense and covers any form of conformation, such as open mold casting, extrusion through a die and cutting the extrudate, etc. Where appropriate the shaping can be achieved by co-extruding the preparation with a polymeric organic phase, and / or with gypsum, to make a surface layer.

The thermal insulating material within the meaning of the invention described above can be used in the form of at least one layer applied for example on a plasterboard. In addition, such a particularly elastic and deformable insulating material may be impregnated or spread over a web (for example non-woven ...).

Preferably, the aqueous foam is prepared as follows: a) stir-foaming a mixture comprising the cationic surfactant; b) then adding an aqueous solution comprising the anionic surfactant. The inventors have demonstrated that an aqueous foam prepared and remained stable throughout the manufacturing process, even after incorporating the other ingredients (airgel, fillers, adjuvants ...).

The present invention and its advantages will be better understood on reading the following examples, which are only given by way of illustration and which can in no way be considered as limiting:

EXAMPLES: - For thermal conductivity measurements, the protocols used in the examples are:

The conductivity measurement is carried out according to the principle of the Flash method (BALAGEAS D. - Measurement of thermal diffusivity by the flash method, R 2955, Engineering Technique, Measurement and Control Treaty -1986), where the thermal excitation is obtained by a plane heating resistor, in accordance with the protocol described in the document "A new method for measuring the thermophysical properties of super-insulators", Yves Jannot & Alain Degiovanni, Infrared thermography conference for building and public works, Mesurexpo (Villepinte ), October 2, 2008.

The characterization temperature ranges from 34 to 37 ° C, and measurements are made at atmospheric pressure.

The accuracy of the measurements is estimated at 5%. Thermal conductivities were also measured with a NETZSCH ™ HFM 436 series flowmeter following the protocols established by ASTM C518 and ISO 8301. The measured samples have dimensions of 15x15x5 cm ³ .

- The density is determined by the ratio of the mass of the sample by its volume.

The accuracy of this measurement is estimated at 3%. Example 1

1 .1 Preparation of the aqueous foam:

A kit provided by the company Allied Foam is used (the percentages are weight contents calculated with respect to the total mass of the compositions):

Commercial Reference Component 1 425A:

- Cationic surfactant mixture belonging to the long chain alkyl class: 50-60%

- Phenyl nonionic surfactant mixture: 10-20%

- Ethanol: 5-8%

- Water: 12-35%

Component 2 of commercial reference 510B:

- Acrylic polymer blend: 25-35%

- Anionic surfactant mixture belonging to the class of fatty acids: 15-30%

- Water: 35-60%

The foam is generated by a foam generator marketed by the company Allied Foam.

Component 1 is diluted to 136 g for 1 L of water.

Component 2 is introduced directly into the tank provided for this purpose.

Alternatively, the aqueous foam prepared as follows may be used:

Two aqueous solutions (1 and 2) are prepared as follows (the percentages are weight contents calculated with respect to the total mass of the solutions after dilution):

Solution 1 (supplemented to 200 g with distilled water) is prepared by adding 3.2% by weight of Arquad® T50 marketed by BASF (49% of propylene glycol, 51% of tallowtrimethylammonium chloride (64% of C18 alkyl, 31% of C16 alkyl, 4% of C14 alkyl and 1% of C12 alkyl, suspended in propylene glycol) in suspension in water) and 0.65% mass of Triton® X-405 sold by Dow Chemical (70% octylphenol ethoxylate).

Solution 2 (supplemented to 40 g with distilled water) is prepared by adding 5% potassium stearate.

Solution 1 is introduced into a high speed mixer (Kenwood Major 1800 Watts). To the foam obtained by this first mixture, the solution 2 is added and mixed.

1 .2 Transformation of aqueous foam into finished product:

250 g of freshly obtained aqueous foam are weighed to which 100 g of styrene-acrylic ester copolymer (latex) in aqueous solution (Acronal® S 400, BASF, whose latex content is 57%) are added.

Once this latex-reinforced foam was obtained, three doses of silica aerogels (Nanogel® TLD 302) sieved at a particle size of less than or equal to 250 μιτι were added to the foam: 70, 90 and 100 g respectively corresponding to the samples. 2, 3 and 4 of Table 1.

The silica aerogels used for the realization of the invention are produced by the company Cabot: they are in the form of millimetric granules, it was necessary to grind and sieve in order to obtain the desired particle size for the test . The sieving is carried out by grinding the aerogels above a sieve whose mesh width is 250 μιτι. The powder recovered after sieving thus has a smaller particle size equal to 250 μιτι.

The airgel powder is introduced into the foam during kneading; this operation has a duration of about 5 minutes.

Following the mixing of the reinforced foam with the aerogels powder, an increasingly compact paste is obtained, depending on the amount of aerogels introduced, which however remains fairly easy to spread and handle to give it different shapes.

Once dried (48 hours at room temperature or 24 hours in an oven at 50 ° C., example), the pulp, which has undergone a mass loss of about 50%, has hardened and is in the form of a solid having a certain flexibility, this also depending on the amount of aerogels present in the mixed.

Density and thermal conductivity measurements were made on the airgel powder and on the three samples made (samples 2, 3, and 4 of Table 1) once cured. The measured values are summarized in Table 1, for comparison the values measured for the sieved airgel powder alone (entry 1 of the table) are reported:

Table 1

For the three samples 2, 3 and 4, the aerogels are present in the final product at a content of approximately 50% of the total volume.

With regard to sample 2 of Table 1, a fresh paste that is softer and less rigid once cured is obtained; while for sample 4 we obtain a paste in the fresh state more compact, and more rigid once cured.

Example 2

The protocol is identical to that of Example 1, but the silica aerogels (Nanogel® TLD 302) are not sieved. Thus the aerogels were not subjected to sieving, but inserted into the mixture in the form of millimetric granules. The change in the size of the aerogels makes it possible to introduce a larger quantity into the latex-reinforced foam: 140 g. This is because the foam does not undergo settlement and / or collapse, a phenomenon which is observed during the manufacture of the sample during the introduction of aerogels of smaller particle size equal to 250 μιτι.

Once shaped and dried for 48 hours at 50 ° C, the sample, referred to as Sample 5, was subjected to a thermal conductivity measurement. When the product is particularly flexible and aerated, it was necessary to squeeze the sample between the plates of the measuring apparatus in order to obtain a thermal conductivity value for a determined corresponding density.

The results are shown in Table 2.

Table 2

Example 3

3.1 Preparation of the aqueous foam:

Solution 1 is prepared by adding 3.2% by weight of Arquad® T50 marketed by BASF (49% of propylene glycol, 51% of tallowtrimethylammonium chloride (64% of C18 alkyl, 31% of alkyl). C16, 4% C14 alkyl and 1% C12 alkyl, suspended in propylene glycol) in suspension in water) and 0.65% by weight of Triton® X-405 marketed by Dow Chemical (70% octylphenol ethoxylate), the whole is added to a solution of distilled water to obtain an aqueous solution of 200 g. Solution 2 is prepared by adding 5% by weight of potassium stearate to a solution of distilled water to obtain an aqueous solution of 40 g.

Solution 1 is introduced into a high speed mixer (Kenwood Major 1800 Watts) and foamed by stirring at maximum speed for two minutes. To this first foam, solution 2 is added. The mixture is stirred at maximum speed for two minutes to obtain the stable aqueous foam. 3.2 Transformation of the aqueous foam into finished product:

Preparation of samples 1 and 2:

230 g of the stable aqueous foam freshly prepared are weighed according to the protocol described in 3.1, to which is added an inorganic binder formed from a plaster batch formed from powdered plaster, optionally sodium silicate (NaO / SiO ₂ .3H ₂ O) powder, and an organic latex of the vinyl terpolymer powder type (Axilat® UP 620 E, Hexion Company, with a latex content of 90-95%) with a solid / water in the mix of 10: 9 by weight. Stirring continues in the mixer: it is now a mixing because the foam becomes more and more pasty.

Then for 5 minutes, during mixing, the silica aerogels sold by Cabot (Nanogel® TLD 302), a fraction of which is sieved to a particle size of less than or equal to 250 μιτι, are incorporated into the foamed mixture. During mixing, over time, one more dough is obtained in addition compact, depending on the amount of aerogels introduced, which remains however easy enough to spread and manipulate to give it different forms.

Once dried (48 hours at room temperature or 24 hours in an oven at 50 ° C., for example), the paste, which has undergone a weight loss of about 50%, has hardened and is in the form of a solid having a certain flexibility, this also depending on the amount of aerogels present in the mixture.

The amounts of reagents used and the experimental results are reported in Table 3.

Example 4

4.1 Preparation of the aqueous foam

Solution 1 is prepared by adding 3.2% by weight of Arquad® T50 marketed by BASF (49% of propylene glycol, 51% of tallowtrimethylammonium chloride (64% of C18 alkyl, 31% of alkyl). C16, 4% C14 alkyl and 1% C12 alkyl, suspended in propylene glycol) in suspension in water) and 0.65% by weight of Triton® X-405 marketed by Dow Chemical ( 70% octylphenol ethoxylate), the whole is added to a solution of distilled water to obtain an aqueous solution of 200 g.

Solution 2 is prepared by preparing an aqueous solution (distilled water) of 40 g containing 5% by weight of potassium stearate, to which 25-38% by weight of spraying is added with stirring by the operator. an organic binder of the styrene-acrylic ester copolymer (latex) type in aqueous solution (Acronal® S 400, BASF, the latex content of which is 57%). Solution 1 is introduced into a high speed mixer (Kenwood Major 1800 Watts) and foamed by stirring at maximum speed for two minutes. To this first foam, solution 2 is added. The mixture is stirred at maximum speed for two minutes to obtain the stable aqueous foam.

4.2 Transformation of the aqueous foam into finished product: Preparation of samples 3 and 4:

To 230 g of the stable aqueous foam freshly prepared according to the protocol described in 4.1, is incorporated an inorganic binder formed from a plaster batch, and optionally sodium silicate (NaO / SiO ₂ .3H ₂ O): the solid / water ratio in the batch is 1: 1 by weight. Stirring continues in the mixer at low speed: it is now a mixing because the foam becomes more and more pasty.

Then for 5 minutes, during mixing, the silica aerogels sold by Cabot (Nanogel® TLD 302), a fraction of which is sieved to a particle size of less than or equal to 250 μιτι, are incorporated into the foamed mixture. During mixing, over time, an increasingly compact paste is obtained, depending on the amount of aerogels introduced, which remains fairly easy to spread and handle to give it different shapes.

Once dried (48 hours at room temperature or 24 hours in an oven at 50 ° C., for example), the paste, which has undergone a weight loss of about 50%, has hardened and is in the form of a solid having a certain flexibility, this also depending on the amount of aerogels present in the mixture. The amounts of reagents used and the experimental results are reported in Table 3. Example 5

5.1 Preparation of the aqueous foam: Two aqueous solutions (1 and 2) are prepared as follows (the percentages are weight contents calculated with respect to the total mass of the solutions after dilution):

Solution 2 is prepared by adding 5% by weight of potassium stearate to a solution of distilled water to obtain an aqueous solution of 40 g.

Solution 1 is introduced into a high speed mixer (Kenwood Major 1800 Watts) and foamed by stirring at maximum speed for two minutes. To this first foam, solution 2 is added. The mixture is stirred at maximum speed for two minutes to obtain the stable aqueous foam.

5.2 Transformation of the aqueous foam into finished product:

Preparation of the sample 5 To 230 g of the stable aqueous foam freshly prepared according to the protocol described in 5.1, is incorporated an inorganic binder formed from a plaster batch, and optionally sodium silicate (NaO / SiO ₂ .3H ₂ O): the solid / water ratio in the batch is 1: 1 by weight. Stirring continues in the mixer: it is now a mixing because the foam becomes more and more pasty.

Table 3:

Claims

Thermal insulating material obtainable from the mixture of at least the following elements:

an aqueous foam,

silica airgel particles, and

at least one binder selected from an organic binder and a mineral binder. Thermal insulating material according to claim 1, characterized in that it is capable of being prepared from at least said elements taken in quantities expressed with respect to the total mass of said mixture varying from 25 to 75% for the foam aqueous, 5 to 35% for silica airgel particles and 5 to 35% for said binder.

Thermal insulating material according to claim 2, characterized in that it is capable of being prepared from at least 35 to 65% aqueous foam, 17 to 25% silica airgel particle and from 17 to 25 % of said binder.

Thermal insulating material according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the aqueous foam comprises:

Ri

I © Θ

RNR ₂ , x

R ₃ (|)

wherein R is an aliphatic chain of 8 to 24 carbon atoms; R 1 is a group selected from alkyls containing 1 to 16 carbon atoms, hydroxyalkyls containing 1 to 16 carbon atoms, a benzyl group, a group which, taken together with the nitrogen of formula (I), gives a heterocycle optionally substituted with at least one fluorine atom; R ₂ and R ₃ are selected from the groups consisting of an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, the hydroxyalkyls comprising 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a hydrogen atom, a benzyl group, a group which, taken together with the nitrogen of formula (I), gives a heterocycle optionally substituted by at least one fluorine atom; and X ^" is a counter-anion;

RY ^" , Y ⁺ (II)

wherein R is an aliphatic chain of 10 to 24 carbon atoms; X ^" is a group bearing a negative charge selected from carboxylate, sulphate and phosphate groups, and Y ⁺ is a counter cation selected from ammonium, sodium and potassium groups, and

such that the ratio of the weight content of the cationic surfactant salt to the weight content of the anionic surfactant salt varies from 0.05: 1 to 15: 1, preferably from 0.2: 1 to 5: 1, or even from 0.4: 1 to 2.5: 1.

Thermal insulating material according to Claim 4, characterized in that the cationic surfactant salt is selected from at least one of the following: dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride, tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide, tetradecyltrimethylammonium chloride, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride, octadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, cetylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride, cetyltriethylammonium bromide and tallowtrimethylammonium chloride.

Thermal insulating material according to either of Claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the cationic surfactant salt is tallowtrimethylammonium chloride.

Thermal insulating material according to one of Claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the anionic surfactant salt is selected from at least one of the following compounds: ammonium stearate, potassium stearate and sodium stearate .

8. Thermal insulating material according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the aqueous foam comprises a mixture of water and glycerol, at least one surfactant and at least one zwitterion.

9. Thermal insulating material according to claim 8, characterized in that the aqueous foam comprises 35 to 45% of glycerol, preferably 40%, less than 0.5% of dodecylpolyoxyethylene-3-sulfate, less than 0.5% of cocoamidopropyl betaine and less 0.05% myristic acid.

10. Thermal insulating material according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said binder is a latex.

1 1. Thermal insulating material according to claim 10, characterized in that said latex has a glass transition temperature Tg of less than 50 ° C. 12. Thermal insulating material according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a thermal conductivity less than or equal to 23 mW / m.K, preferably 20 mW / m.K.

13. Thermal insulating material according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a thermal conductivity less than or equal to 19 mW / m.K.

14. Thermal insulating material according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a density of less than or equal to 150 kg / m ³ , preferably 130 kg / m ³ .

15. Thermal insulating material according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a density of less than or equal to 100 kg / m ³ .

The method of manufacturing the thermal insulating material according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of:

a) preparing an aqueous foam;

b) adding at least one binder;

c) adding a silica airgel powder by stirring or mixing; and d) allow the mixture to dry.

17. The manufacturing method according to claim 16, characterized in that after step d) is shaped during drying.

18. Manufacturing process according to one of claims 16 or 17, characterized in that the aqueous foam is prepared as follows: a) stir-foaming a mixture comprising the cationic surfactant;

b) then adding an aqueous solution comprising the anionic surfactant.