Influence of Silica-Aerogel on Mechanical Characteristics of Polyurethane-Based Composites: Thermal Conductivity and Strength

Polyurethane foam (PUF) has generally been used in liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier cargo containment systems (CCSs) owing to its excellent mechanical and thermal properties over a wide range of temperatures. An LNG CCS must be designed to withstand extreme environmental conditions. However, as the insulation material for LNGC CCSs, PUF has two major limitations: its strength and thermal conductivity. In the present study, PUFs were synthesized with various weight percentages of porous silica aerogel to reinforce the characteristics of PUF used in LNG carrier insulation systems. To evaluate the mechanical strength of the PUF-silica aerogel composites considering LNG loading/unloading environmental conditions, compressive tests were conducted at room temperature (20 °C) and a cryogenic temperature (-163 °C). In addition, the thermal insulation performance and cellular structure were identified to analyze the effects of silica aerogels on cell morphology. The cell morphology of PUF-silica aerogel composites was relatively homogeneous, and the cell shape remained closed at 1 wt.% in comparison to the other concentrations. As a result, the mechanical and thermal properties were significantly improved by the addition of 1 wt.% silica aerogel to the PUF. The mechanical properties were reduced by increasing the silica aerogel content to 3 wt.% and 5 wt.%, mainly because of the pores generated on the surface of the composites.