Development and evaluation of highly thermally insulating aerogel glass bricks

Abstract

Since we increasingly spend time indoors, natural light inside of interiors becomes more and more important for visual comfort and overall human health through setting of circadian rhythm, and can additionally help with energy savings. Aerogel glass bricks are a new building component for perimeter walls, combining structural properties of glass and the thermal insulation capabilities of aerogel with the aesthetic and daylight-transmitting qualities of both. This paper describes the development and thermal and structural characterization and simulation of a highly thermally insulating aerogel glass brick. The aim was to create an aesthetically pleasing building component with excellent thermal insulation properties that is capable of transmitting daylight.This paper explores the design, development, and thermal simulations of an aerogel glass brick, as well as guarded hot-plate measurements and a compression experiment. Measurements of thermal insulating properties and simulations revealed that the aerogel glass brick could reduce energy consumption significantly compared to other conventional building materials for perimeter walls, while also transmitting daylight. Additionally, its aesthetic qualities can make it suitable not only for use in modern construction projects, but also in refurbishment of older objects.The measured thermal conductivity is 53 mW/(m·K), in agreement with thermal simulation results of 51 mW/(m·K), and the measured compressive strength of the brick is 45 MPa. These data suggest that the aerogel glass brick is a viable option for architects and engineers looking for a sustainable and efficient construction component for perimeter walls. Structurally, the brick should allow building large and high spans and its thermal insulation properties can significantly reduce energy consumption, while its aesthetic and daylight-transmitting qualities make it visually appealing.