Abstract: An insulating material is used that contains a silica xerogel, and a nonwoven fabric fiber capable of generating carbon dioxide by reacting with atmospheric oxygen at a temperature of 300° C. or more. The insulating material uses oxidized acrylic as the nonwoven fabric fiber. A device uses the insulating material installed as a part of a heat insulating or a cold insulating structure, or installed between a heat-generating part and a casing.

Abstract: Provided is a heat insulating material having improved adhesion of interface between a porous body and a polymeric cover material, and a method for forming a coating of the heat insulating material. The heat insulating material includes a composite material containing an aerogel in a nonwoven fabric, and a cover material including a fluororesin for covering the composite material, in which the cover material has a plurality of grain boundaries on a surface of the cover material.

Abstract: A method for producing a silica aerogel, includes: (i) adding an electroconductive polymer to the sol of an aqueous alkaline silicate solution to convert the sol to a gel; (ii) aging the gel to cause said gel to grow; (iii) hydrophobizing the gel; and (iv) drying the gel. Further provided is a silica aerogel including an electroconductive polymer. Still further provided is a heat-insulation material, including the above-described silica aerogel and fibers.

Abstract: A hydrophobic treatment method is used in which at least one sheet filled with a gelled silicic acid is tilted at least two degrees with respect to a horizontal direction in a hydrophobizing solution, and the gelled silicic acid is hydrophobized. A manufacturing method for a sheet-like member is also used. The manufacturing method includes: a sol preparing step of adjusting the pH of a water glass aqueous solution to obtain a sol solution of silicic acid; an adding step of adding the sol solution to a fiber; a gel step of polymerizing and gelling the sol solution; a hydrophobic treatment step of hydrophobizing the gel with the hydrophobic treatment method; and a drying step of drying the hydrophobized gel.

Abstract: Disclosed is an aerogel, having, on the surface of the aerogel, at least one type of dialkyldisiloxane bond serving as a hydrophobic group, and/or at least one type of crosslinked disiloxane bond serving as a hydrophobic group. Further disclosed is a material serving as at least one material selected from among a heat-insulation material, a sound-absorbing material, a water-repellant material, and an adsorption material, and this material includes the above-mentioned aerogel. Yet further disclosed is a method for producing the above-mentioned aerogel.

Abstract: Heat-insulation materials that can be placed along the lines of heat sources, heat-insulation structures using the same, and processes for producing the same. A heat-insulation material, that includes: fiber sheets that each have fibers and an aerogel and that have different sizes; and at least one covering material that covers the fiber sheets, or at least one elastic material that includes the fiber sheets. The at least one covering material may include a first covering material and a second covering material.

Abstract: A heat-insulation material does not cause deterioration in heat-insulation performance and any loss of components included therein, and possesses an excellent radiation-preventing function. The heat-insulation material includes: a first heat-insulation layer that includes a first silica xerogel and a first radiation-preventing material; and a third heat-insulation layer that includes a third silica xerogel and second fibers, wherein the first heat-insulation layer and the third heat-insulation layer are layered. An electronic device includes the heat-insulation material. Yet further disclosed is a method for producing the heat-insulation material.

Abstract: An object of the disclosure is to provide heat insulation materials that combine high heat insulation properties realizing effective heat insulation, and flame retardancy realizing prevention of fire spreading, and devices using the same. In order to achieve this object, disclosed are heat insulation materials, including: a silica xerogel; a carbon material; unwoven fabric fibers that retains the silica xerogel, and the carbon material. Further disclosed are devices, including the above-described heat insulation material, wherein the heat insulation material serves as a part of a heat-insulation or refrigeration structure, or is placed between a heat-producing component and a casing.

Abstract: A composite sheet includes a graphite layer, a heat insulation layer including a fiber and a heat insulation material and a fiber layer located between the graphite layer and the heat insulation layer, wherein the fiber layer comprises the fiber. An electronic apparatus includes an electronic component that involves heat generation, a housing and the composite sheet, wherein the composite sheet is placed between the electronic component and the housing.

Abstract: A seat heater that is a seat including: a planer heating element that has a plurality of electric heating wires on its upper surface and that includes a fiber layer; a cushion member that locates over a lower surface of the planer heating element; and a skin that locates above the planer heating element, wherein the planer heating element has, in voids of the fiber layer, a silica aerogel that is a silica porous body having pores with a mean pore diameter of 10 nm to 68 nm.

Abstract: A heat-insulation material does not cause deterioration in heat-insulation performance and any loss of components included therein, and possesses an excellent radiation-preventing function. The heat-insulation material includes: a first heat-insulation layer that includes a fist silica xerogel and a first radiation-preventing material; and a third heat-insulation layer that includes a third silica xerogel and second fibers, wherein the first heat-insulation layer and the third heat-insulation layer are layered. An electronic device includes the heat-insulation, material. Yet further disclosed is a method for producing the heat-insulation material.

Abstract: A heat-insulation sheet includes a first silica xerogel layer, a second silica xerogel layer, and a composite layer. The first silica xerogel layer includes a first silica xerogel, and the second silica xerogel layer includes a second silica xerogel. The composite layer is located between the first silica xerogel layer and the second silica xerogel layer, and includes at least one type of unwoven fabric fibers, and a third silica xerogel. The third silica xerogel is located in a spatial volume of the unwoven fabric fibers.

Abstract: A treat-insulation material, includes: a first substrate layer that includes an aerogel and first fibers; and a second substrate layer that is layered on the first substrate layer and that includes an aerogel and second fibers, wherein a volume density of the aerogel in the first substrate layer is larger than a volume density of the aerogel in the second substrate layer, and an amount of the aerogel that is present around a first surface of the second substrate layer inside the second substrate layer, not adjacent to the first substrate layer, is smaller than an amount of the aerogel that is present around a second surface (inside the second substrate layer adjacent to the first substrate layer.

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing an aerogel, an acid is added to a first aqueous high-molar-ratio silicate solution that includes silica particles having a mean particle diameter of from 1 nm to 10 nm and that is alkaline, to produce a gel. The gel is subjected to a dehydration condensation to obtain a hydrogel. The hydrogel is converted into a hydrophobized gel. Then, the hydrophobized gel is dried. According to the method, an aerogel having a pore volume of from 3.00 cc/g to 10 cc/g, a mean pore diameter of from 10 nm to 68 nm, and a specific surface area of from 200 m2/g to 475 m2/g can be prepared.

Abstract: A composite material includes: a heat dissipation sheet; a heat insulation material that is placed on one surface of the heat dissipation sheet; and a support layer that is placed on at least one of the other surface of the heat dissipation sheet and the other surface of the heat insulation material, wherein silica aerogel is included between fibers in an inner region of the heat insulation material, an outer peripheral region of the heat insulation material includes the fibers, and the heat dissipation sheet and the heat insulation material are fixed onto each other through the fibers. Furthermore, provided is an electronic apparatus, including a heat generating component; and the above composite material, wherein the composite material is placed between the housing and the heat generating component.

Abstract: A method for producing a silica aerogel, includes: (i) adding an electroconductive polymer to the sol of an aqueous alkaline silicate solution to convert the sol to a gel; (ii) aging the gel to cause said gel to grow; (iii) hydrophobizing the gel; and (iv) drying the gel. Further provided is a silica aerogel including an electroconductive polymer. Still further provided is a heat-insulation material, including the above-described silica aerogel and fibers.

Abstract: A xerogel production method includes: adding, to water glass, a basic silicic acid solution having a sol with a particle size between a particle size of the water glass and a particle size of colloidal silica, to acidify and solate the water glass, and polycondensing the solated water glass at 20° C. to 90° C., to obtain a hydrogel; growing the hydrogel by leaving the hydrogel for a certain time period at a constant temperature; hydrophobizing the hydrogel; and drying the hydrophobized hydrogel.

Abstract: A composite sheet includes: a graphite layer that is disposed on a high temperature portion; an aerogel layer that is disposed on a low temperature portion; and an adhesive layer to which the graphite layer and the aerogel layer are fixed, in which the adhesive layer is formed of a water-based adhesive. The water-based adhesive layer is formed of an adhesive containing water as a solvent or an adhesive containing water as a raw material. The water-based adhesive layer includes gaps.

Abstract: A composite material includes: a heat dissipation sheet; a heat insulation material that is placed on one surface of the heat dissipation sheet; and a support layer that is placed on at least one of the other surface of the heat dissipation sheet and the other surface of the heat insulation material, wherein silica aerogel is included between fibers in an inner region of the heat insulation material, an outer peripheral region of the heat insulation material includes the fibers, and the heat dissipation sheet and the heat insulation material are fixed onto each other through the fibers. Furthermore, provided is an electronic apparatus, including a heat generating component; and the above composite material, wherein the composite material is placed between the housing and the heat generating component.

Abstract: A heat insulation sheet includes, as a substrate, a silica aerogel with low heat conductivity and high mechanical strength In a hydrophobization reaction of a hydrogel, a silane coupling agent having a reactive organic functional group is used to conduct hydrophobization, and, after volatilization of a solvent in a drying step, the temperature is elevated to 100° C. or higher that is a reaction-starting temperature, thereby reacting and bonding the reactive functional group and a fiber to each other. This allows prevention of detachment or loss of fine particles of silica xerogel from the unwoven fabric fiber.