Insulation nanomaterials for energy-efficient refrigerators
Refrigerators may seem like simple appliances, but the inner workings are becoming more sophisticated. A VIP is an ultra-thin insulant that can be 10 times more effective than traditional insulation products. It consists of a nearly gas-tight enclosure surrounding a rigid, highly porous core material from which air has been evacuated to prevent outside gases from entering the panel. Commonly used core materials such as silica-based powders and glass wool make up the largest part of the total cost of a VIP. To address this, the EU-funded project NANOPOROUSVIP (Development of nano-porous materials for the production of vacuum insulation panels (VIPs)) developed cost-effective nanoporous materials with excellent insulation properties that can be used as the insulation fillers in VIPs. Scientists prepared nanoporous silica materials using triblock self-assembled polymers. Then, the nanomaterial was mixed with low-cost silica-based materials such as fly ash, diatoms and perlite to prepare a low-cost VIP core material with high thermal insulation properties. Using nanoporous materials, the team reduced the cost of VIPs by approximately 70 % without sacrificing thermal insulation properties. About 60 billion kWh could be saved each year by replacing old refrigerators with new more energy-efficient ones using VIPs.
