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Volume 11
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10.3390/gels11010044
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Article

Studying the Size-Dependence of Graphene Nanoplatelets (GNPs) in the Final Properties of Polyurethane Aerogels: Thermal Insulation and Mechanical Strength

by
Jaime Lledó
1,2,
Judith Martín-de León
1,2,
Tomás E. Gómez Álvarez-Arenas
3,
Miguel Ángel Rodríguez-Pérez
1,2 and
Beatriz Merillas
1,2,4,*
1
Cellular Materials Laboratory (CellMat), Condensed Matter Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Campus Miguel Delibes, University of Valladolid, Paseo de Belén 7, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
2
BioEcoUVA Research Institute on Bioeconomy, University of Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
3
Departamento de Sensores y Sistemas Ultrasónicos (DSSU), Instituto de Tecnologías Físicas y de la Información (ITEFI), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Serrano 144, 28006 Madrid, Spain
4
Department of Chemical Engineering, CERES, University of Coimbra, Rua Sílvio Lima, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Gels 2025, 11(1), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11010044
Submission received: 12 December 2024 / Revised: 31 December 2024 / Accepted: 3 January 2025 / Published: 7 January 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Synthetic and Bio-Based Aerogels: Mechanical Properties, Thermal Insulation, and Environmental Remediation (2nd Edition))
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Abstract

In the present work, the influence of the addition of graphene nanoplatelets presenting different dimensions on polyurethane–polyisocyanurate aerogel structure and properties has been studied. The obtained aerogels synthesized through a sol–gel method have been fully characterized in terms of density, porosity, specific surface area, mechanical stiffness, thermal conductivity, and speed of sound. Opacified aerogels showing high porosity (>92%) and low densities (78–98 kg/m3) have been produced, and the effect of the size and content of graphene nanoplatelets has been studied. It has been observed that formulations with less than 5 wt.% of graphene nanoplatelets larger than 2 microns can effectively reduce the total thermal conductivity by absorption and scattering of the infrared radiation, reducing the heat transfer by this mechanism. The resulting opacified samples are highly insulating materials, with thermal conductivities less than 18 mW/m·K. Moreover, it has been observed that smaller particles with ca. 200 nm of average length can promote an increase in the elastic modulus, therefore obtaining stiffer aerogels, combined with thermal conductivities lower than 20 mW/m·K. Results have been studied in detail, providing a further understanding of the mechanisms for improving the final properties of these materials, making them more suitable for industrial applications.
Keywords: polyurethane/graphene nanoplatelet aerogel; thermal insulation; opacifiers; scattering; infrared radiation polyurethane/graphene nanoplatelet aerogel; thermal insulation; opacifiers; scattering; infrared radiation
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MDPI and ACS Style

Lledó, J.; Martín-de León, J.; Gómez Álvarez-Arenas, T.E.; Rodríguez-Pérez, M.Á.; Merillas, B. Studying the Size-Dependence of Graphene Nanoplatelets (GNPs) in the Final Properties of Polyurethane Aerogels: Thermal Insulation and Mechanical Strength. Gels 2025, 11, 44. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11010044

AMA Style

Lledó J, Martín-de León J, Gómez Álvarez-Arenas TE, Rodríguez-Pérez MÁ, Merillas B. Studying the Size-Dependence of Graphene Nanoplatelets (GNPs) in the Final Properties of Polyurethane Aerogels: Thermal Insulation and Mechanical Strength. Gels. 2025; 11(1):44. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11010044

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lledó, Jaime, Judith Martín-de León, Tomás E. Gómez Álvarez-Arenas, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez-Pérez, and Beatriz Merillas. 2025. "Studying the Size-Dependence of Graphene Nanoplatelets (GNPs) in the Final Properties of Polyurethane Aerogels: Thermal Insulation and Mechanical Strength" Gels 11, no. 1: 44. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11010044

APA Style

Lledó, J., Martín-de León, J., Gómez Álvarez-Arenas, T. E., Rodríguez-Pérez, M. Á., & Merillas, B. (2025). Studying the Size-Dependence of Graphene Nanoplatelets (GNPs) in the Final Properties of Polyurethane Aerogels: Thermal Insulation and Mechanical Strength. Gels, 11(1), 44. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11010044

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