Cellulose Aerogel Fibres for Thermal Encapsulation of Diesel Hybrid Engines for Fuel Savings in Cars

A Cellulose Aerogel fibre spinning process was investigated based on coagulation of a spinning dope out of aqueous zinc chloride salt hydrate melts into different coagulants. It has been shown that coagulants with less solubility of zinc chloride are more suitable for the production of fibres. The lower the solubility of zinc chloride the slower is the diffusion from the gel fibre into the coagulant. It has been shown that to fast diffusion is contra productive to the fibre strength. Therefore conditions with low diffusion rates are favorable to increase the mechanical properties of aerogel fibres. The fibres were supercritical dried and investigated due to their inner surface with BET analysis, pore structure via SEM images and mechanical properties. The described aerogel fibre synthesis is a promising step to the encapsulation of combustion engines with drapable aerogel structures to supress the cooling of hybrid cars during urban driving. It has been shown that this bears the potential of increasing the efficiency of hybrid engines and decreasing the amount of emissions during driving.