STTR Phase I: Monolithic Aerogel Designs for Daylighting Applications

STTR 第一阶段：用于采光应用的整体式气凝胶设计

• 批准号: 2025800
• 负责人: John Costa
• 金额: $ 25.6万
• 依托单位: Sunthru LLC
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-08-01 至 2022-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2025800&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: STTR; Phase; Monolithic; Aerogel; Designs

The broader impact of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is in the use of aerogels in daylighting applications to efficiently incorporate natural lighting in building design, benefitting society by significantly decreasing energy consumption and simultaneously improving environments. Natural light is linked to health and productivity The daylighting market ascribes high value to natural light transmission, optical clarity, and thermal insulation; however, existing products generally fail to achieve all three. The proposed technology decouples thermal performance from window clarity, allowing end users to experience the benefits of increased natural light without being resigned to low translucency or high heat or cooling loss. This solution will provide the benefits of natural lighting while improving overall energy efficiency in buildings. As a direct result, architects and glazing contractors will not be limited by thermal considerations when adding windows to structures. Further, it addresses a need for windows that are acoustically insulating.The intellectual merit of this STTR Phase I project lies in the combination of a proprietary design with a licensed aerogel fabrication method to yield a transformative, elegant window product that promotes natural lighting and reduces energy waste. Silica aerogel monoliths have outstanding insulating ability and superior optical properties to materials currently used in daylighting products; however, traditional methods for making monolithic aerogels are time- and labor-intensive. The patented fabrication method employed in this project is advantageous for several reasons, including ease of automation, speed of processing and production of consistent monolithic aerogels, and offers an alternative to existing daylighting solutions with the potential to transform a generally stagnant industry. To mitigate the risks associated with bringing an aerogel window product to market, this project focuses on: (1) improving aerogel molding technology; (2) developing a proprietary innovation to build larger systems; (3) experimenting with dye-doped and etched aerogels for tailored aesthetic effects; (4) fabricating aerogels for two prototype windows (one colorless, one aesthetically enhanced); (5) developing a simplified window assembly method to fabricate two prototype windows; and (6) studying the aerogel precursor supply chain and use of alternative chemistries.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

这种小型企业技术转移（STTR）I阶段项目的更广泛影响是在日光应用中使用气凝胶，以有效地将自然照明纳入建筑设计中，从而通过显着降低能源消耗并同时改善环境来使社会受益。自然光与健康和生产力有关，日光市场赋予自然光传输，光学清晰度和热绝缘的高价值。但是，现有产品通常无法实现这三种。拟议的技术将热性能从窗户的清晰度中脱颖而出，使最终用户能够体验到自然光增加的好处，而不会降低透明度或高热量或冷却损失。该解决方案将提供自然照明的好处，同时提高建筑物的整体能源效率。作为直接结果，建筑师和玻璃承包商在添加窗户的结构时不会受到热考虑的限制。此外，它解决了对声学上绝缘的窗户的需求。该STTR I期项目的智力优点在于专有设计与有执照的气囊制造方法的结合，以产生可促进自然照明的变革性，优雅的窗户产品，可促进自然照明并减少能源浪费。二氧化硅气凝胶整体具有出色的绝缘能力和优异的光学特性，与当前用于日光产品的材料具有出色的光学性能；但是，制造整体气凝胶的传统方法是时间和劳动力密集的。该项目中采用的专利制造方法具有多种原因，包括易于自动化，加工速度和一致的整体气凝胶的生产，并为现有的日光解决方案提供了一种替代方案，有可能改变普遍停滞的行业。为了减轻与将气门窗户产品推向市场相关的风险，该项目的重点是：（1）改进气冰成型技术； （2）开发专有的创新以建立更大的系统； （3）尝试掺杂染料和蚀刻气凝胶以量身定制美学效应； （4）为两个原型窗户制造气凝胶（一个无色，一个美学增强）； （5）开发一种简化的窗口组装方法来制造两个原型窗口； （6）研究气盘前体供应链和替代化学的使用。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并且使用基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响审查标准，被认为值得通过评估来获得支持。

项目成果

Aesthetic Aerogel Window Design for Sustainable Buildings

• DOI: 10.3390/su14052887
• 发表时间: 2022-03-01
• 期刊: SUSTAINABILITY
• 影响因子: 3.9
• 作者: Carroll, Mary K.;Anderson, Ann M.;Capron, Margeaux
• 通讯作者: Capron, Margeaux

Twenty years of aerogel research at an undergraduate institution

• DOI: 10.1007/s10971-022-06034-1
• 发表时间: 2023-02-04
• 期刊: JOURNAL OF SOL-GEL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
• 影响因子: 2.5
• 作者: Carroll，Mary K.;Anderson，Ann M.
• 通讯作者: Anderson，Ann M.