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Intercomparison of Thermal Conductivity Measurements on a Nanoporous Organic Aerogel

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Abstract

Due to their special combination of nanostructure and high porosity, aerogels are key materials for high performance thermal insulation. However, measuring reliable thermal conductivity values, which are essential for material’s optimization and as product parameter, is a challenging task in the case of aerogels. Experimentally derived thermal conductivity values for aerogels are so far more or less influenced by the experimental set-up and the experimental conditions and have to be carefully discussed. Here we present results of an intercomparison on thermal conductivity measurements performed for a polyurethane aerogel produced on a pilot scale as stiff panels by BASF. Prior to the intercomparison, the material was checked for reproducibility in production and homogeneity. The dependence of thermal conductivity on atmospheric pressure and temperature was also determined. We discuss the results submitted by 12 participants with respect to the different experimental techniques applied and identify experimental parameters with severe impact on the resulting thermal conductivities. The derived mean values for the thermal conductivity at 20 °C, 40 °C and 60 °C were related with relative uncertainties in the range from 0.6 % to 0.9 %. The dependence of the derived thermal conductivity values on the geographical location of the participating laboratory and the atmospheric weather conditions could be clearly observed and the precision of the results could be significantly improved by correcting for these effects. The values had to be partly corrected up to 2.5 %.

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Abbreviations

e :

Specific extinction coefficient (m2·kg−1)

E :

Normalized deviation (1)

E :

Extinction coefficient (m−1)

L :

Length (m)

T :

Temperature (K, °C)

U :

Uncertainty (W·m−1·K−1)

x :

Measurement value (W·m−1·K−1)

λ :

Thermal conductivity (W·m−1·K−1)

ρ :

Density (kg·m−3)

τ :

Optical thickness (1)

ev :

Evacuated

g:

Gaseous

lab:

Experimentally determined value

mean:

Mean value

n:

Normalized

CIPM :

Comité International des Poids et Mesures

GHP:

Guarded-hot-plate

GUM :

Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement

HFM:

Heat-flow meter

SEM :

Scanning electron microscope

THW:

Transient-hot-wire

THS:

Transient-hot-strip

TPS:

Transient-plane-source

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank all participants in the intercomparison for their valuable contributions, namely D. Lager (AIT), E. Günther, S. Hofmeyer, C. Steinkamp, K. Martens (BASF), P. Vöpe (DLR), M. Lauff (FIW), M. Lehmann (IFAM), B. Sonntag, T. G. Ueberall (MPA NRW), A. Lindemann (Netzsch), E. Kaschnitz (ÖGI), M. Marson-Pahle (IKV), F. Mißfeldt (TUHH), D. Kraus, K. Swimm, M.C. Arduini and L. Ulerich (ZAE). Special thanks to the company BASF AG for the provision of the specimens.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bavarian Center for Applied Energy Research, Magdalene-Schoch-Str. 3, 97074, Würzburg, Germany

    Hans-Peter Ebert, Stephan Braxmeier, Gudrun Reichenauer & Frank Hemberger

  2. BASF Polyurethanes GmbH, Elastogranstr. 60, 49448, Lemfoerde, Germany

    Fabian Lied, Dirk Weinrich & Marc Fricke

Authors
  1. Hans-Peter Ebert
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  2. Stephan Braxmeier
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  3. Gudrun Reichenauer
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  4. Frank Hemberger
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  5. Fabian Lied
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  7. Marc Fricke
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Correspondence to Hans-Peter Ebert.

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Ebert, HP., Braxmeier, S., Reichenauer, G. et al. Intercomparison of Thermal Conductivity Measurements on a Nanoporous Organic Aerogel. Int J Thermophys 42, 21 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10765-020-02775-9

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