Flexible insulating structures and methods of making and using same

Abstract

A flexible insulating structure includes a batting and a mixture of aerogel-containing particles and a binder, the aerogel-containing particles impregnating at least one layer of the batting. A method for preparing a flexible insulating structure comprises applying a mixture including aerogel-containing particles and a binder to a batting having one or more batting layers; and drying or allowing the binder to dry, thereby forming the flexible insulating structure.

1 . A flexible insulating structure comprising:
 (a) a batting;   (b) a mixture of aerogel-containing particles and a binder, the aerogel-containing particles impregnating at least one layer of the batting.   
     
     
         2 . The flexible insulating structure of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal conductivity of the structure is no greater than about 23 mW/m·K at 23° C. and 1 atmosphere. 
     
     
         3 . The flexible insulating structure of  claim 1 , wherein the entire batting is impregnated with the aerogel-containing particles. 
     
     
         4 . The flexible insulating structure of  claim 1 , wherein the binder is an inorganic binder. 
     
     
         5 . The flexible insulating structure of  claim 1 , wherein the binder is gypsum. 
     
     
         6 . The flexible insulating structure of  claim 1 , wherein the mixture further includes a surfactant. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The flexible insulating structure of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one cover layer providing protection, a reflective coating, a water barrier or a water vapor barrier. 
     
     
         12 . The flexible insulating structure of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more non-batting internal layers. 
     
     
         13 . A method for preparing a flexible insulating structure, the method comprising:
 applying a mixture including aerogel-containing particles and a binder to a batting having one or more batting layers; and   drying or allowing the binder to dry, thereby forming the flexible insulating structure.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the mixture further contains a surfactant. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the mixture is a slurry. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the mixture is applied to the batting by pouring, spraying, painting, soaking or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the entire flexible insulating structure is impregnated with aerogel-containing particles. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the flexible insulating structure is partially impregnated or painted with aerogel-containing particles. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising applying a cover layer to an outer face of the batting. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising applying a cover layer to an outer face of the flexible insulating structure. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the flexible insulating structure further includes at least one internal non-batting layer. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A method for insulating an object, the method comprising:
 incorporating the flexible insulating structure of  claim 1  in an article containing the object; and   exposing the article to a temperature of at least 150° C.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the flexible insulating structure covers a surface of the object. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of an article of clothing, footwear, pipe-in-pipe arrangement, insulated vessel, building, automobile, ship, aircraft and sporting equipment.