Polyimide-Aerogel Hybrid Foam Composites For Advanced Applications

NASA has had a growing need for high-performance polymer foams for cryogenic insulation, fireproofing, energy absorption and other applications. Commercially available foams, however, do not meet all of the requirements for surviving extreme environments. Most low-density foams crack at cryogenic temperatures, and the foams that can withstand extreme temperatures do not have the required structural integrity or thermal performance. Chemists and Engineers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center and Langley Research Center have collaborated in the development of a polyimide foam composite based on TEEK polyimide foam technology with enhanced thermal performance and vibration attenuation properties. The foam composites can be fabricated to target densities: high-density foam composites for structural applications and low-density foam composites where more flexibility might be advantageous. Heat transfer reduction is driven primarily by inorganic aerogel filler, with aerogel blanket composites having the most significant reduction in heat transfer and vibration attenuation. The TEEK composites are fire resistant and have excellent weather-resistant properties. This composite technology also lends itself to other foam systems. These materials may prove useful in process fluid piping, tanks for transporting and storing hot or cold fluids, ship and boat building and especially aerospace applications.