Improving anti-infrared radiation and heat insulation by potassium hexatitanate whisker-doped Al(2)O(3)–SiO(2) composite xerogel

Taking potassium hexatitanate whisker (PTW) modified by silane coupling agent KH550, aluminium nitrate inorganic salt and tetraethyl orthosilicate and deionized water, respectively, as infrared sunscreen, aluminium source and raw materials forming the network structure of a composite xerogel, a series of structurally intact PTW-doped Al(2)O(3)–SiO(2) composite xerogel thermal-insulating materials were prepared by the sol–gel method and dried under atmospheric pressure. The infrared spectral characteristics, infrared radiation transmittance, microstructures, morphology and thermal conductivity of different composite materials prepared have been determined by a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, UV–visible–near-infrared spectrophotometer, X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope and thermal conductivity tester. The results exhibit that when the Al to Si molar ratio is 1 : 9, the composite material with 5 wt% modified PTW shows the best infrared radiation blocking performance and the lowest thermal conductivity (0.0604 W m(−1) K(−1)).