Aerogels for Thermal Protection and Their Application in Aerospace

Abstract

With the continuous development of the world’s aerospace industry, countries have put forward higher requirements for thermal protection materials for aerospace vehicles. As a nano porous material with ultra-low thermal conductivity, aerogel has attracted more and more attention in the thermal insulation application of aerospace vehicles. At present, the summary of aerogel used in aerospace thermal protection applications is not comprehensive. Therefore, this paper summarizes the research status of various types of aerogels for thermal protection (oxide aerogels, organic aerogels, etc.), summarizes the hot issues in the current research of various types of aerogels for thermal protection, and puts forward suggestions for the future development of various aerogels. For oxide aerogels, it is necessary to further increase their use temperature and inhibit the sintering of high-temperature resistant components. For organic aerogels, it is necessary to focus on improving the anti-ablation, thermal insulation, and mechanical properties in long-term aerobic high-temperature environments, and on this basis, find cheap raw materials to reduce costs. For carbon aerogels, it is necessary to further explore the balanced relationship between oxidation resistance, mechanics, and thermal insulation properties of materials. The purpose of this paper is to provide a reference for the further development of more efficient and reliable aerogel materials for aerospace applications in the future.