Ambient Pressure-Dried Ormosil Hybrid Aerogel Composite Blankets for Advanced Space Suit Insulation

NASA is seeking innovative thermal insulation solutions for extravehicular activity (EVA) suits on the Martian surface. To satisfy NASA’s requirements, Optowares proposed to develop ambient pressure (AP)-dried Ormosil hybrid aerogel composite blankets for advanced space suit insulation by incorporating flexible organically-modified silicate ( Ormosil) matrix, nano-opacifiers, and aerogel processing methods. In Phase I, we successfully demonstrated the synthesis of different AP-dried Ormosil hybrids and their opacified aerogel composite products, which exhibited significantly reduced dust generation, good cycling performances at vibration cycles, good flexibility, and better thermal insulation compared to commercial AP-dried silica aerogel composites. Specifically, we prepared AP-dried polyvinyl silane (PVSil) Ormosils hybrid composites and their TiO2/CB-opacified coupons by radical polymerization, followed by hydrolytic polycondensation. These Ormosils composites demonstrated their enhanced flexibility, lower dustiness of  5 times, lower TC values of 15.0  17.0 mW/m K, and their stable TC values’ behaviors after the cycling test compared to commercial AP-dried silica aerogel blankets. Further investigation of the AP drying method, Ormosil synthesis process, and optimum formulation developments can improve thermal resistance, less/no dustiness, and good mechanical/thermal cycling performances at medium vacuum and ambient conditions that are required for advanced space suit insulation applications. As a result, Optowares proposed AP-dried Ormosil hybrid aerogel composite blankets will provide superior thermal insulation and inherent radiation protection suitable for NASA advanced EVA suits, space hardware, and vehicles, other military and commercial applications while offering economic viability of the scaled-up commercial manufacturing without using the expensive CO2-supercritical drying or freeze-drying (FD) equipment, and the excessive hydrophobicity agents.

Our proposed Ormosil aerogel composites will improve the thermal and mechanical insulation for EVA suits on the Martian surface. The resultant aerogel composites are air, water, and vacuum capable and thus could be incorporated into new single-suit designs for a broad spectrum of astronaut missions. The resilient, tough, and less dusty Ormosil aerogels can be extended for use as cryogenic insulation in different vibrations and acoustic environments. Gloves, footwear, habitats, and helmets could also potentially use the new insulation materials. Other potential applications include use as insulation in commercial and military aircraft, cryogenic tanks, liquefied gas transport, gloves, footwear, systems for warming, storing, and transporting food and medicine, sleeping bags and pads, military, and recreational tents, etc. The Ormosil hybrid aerogel composites may be recycled for use as impact modifiers or fillers for conventional plastics.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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