Heat insulation material and device using same

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat insulation material, comprising:
 a silica xerogel;   a carbon material; and   unwoven fabric fibers that retains the silica xerogel, and the carbon material.   
     
     
         2 . The heat insulation material according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat insulation material exhibits a combustion time of 15 seconds or less, and a maximum heat generation rate of 15 kW/m or less, in a cone calorimeter-based exothermic test. 
     
     
         3 . The heat insulation material according to  claim 1 , wherein the carbon material reacts with oxygen in the atmosphere at a temperature (i) where the silica xerogel is thermally decomposed, or at a temperature (ii) higher than the temperature (i), to produce carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         4 . The heat insulation material according to  claim 1 , wherein the carbon material is carbon black. 
     
     
         5 . The heat insulation material according to  claim 1 , wherein the carbon material includes at least one condensed ring compound having aromaticity. 
     
     
         6 . The heat insulation material according to  claim 1 , wherein the carbon material has a mean particle size of 50 nm to 500 nm. 
     
     
         7 . The heat insulation material according to  claim 1 , wherein a concentration of the carbon material is from 0.01 wt % to 10 wt %. 
     
     
         8 . The heat insulation material according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 a three-component composite layer that includes the silica xerogel, the carbon material, and the unwoven fabric fibers;   a two-component composite layer that is placed on one side of the three-component composite layer, that does not include a same type of unwoven fabric fibers as the unwoven fabric fibers of the three-component composite layer, and that includes a same type of silica xerogel as the silica xerogel of the three-component composite layer, and a same type of carbon material as the carbon material of the three-component composite layer; and   a monolayer that is placed on an other side of the three-component composite layer, and that includes a same type of silica xerogel as the silica xerogel of the three-component composite layer.   
     
     
         9 . The heat insulation material according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a three-component composite layer that includes a same type of silica xerogel, and a same type of unwoven fabric fibers; and   two-component composite layers that are placed on both sides, respectively, of the three-component composite layer, that does not include a same type of unwoven fabric fibers, and that includes a same type of silica xerogel, and a same type of carbon material.   
     
     
         10 . A device, comprising the heat insulation material according to  claim 1 , wherein said 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.