Jan 16 2006
Cabot Corporation has announced that Cabot Nanogel(R) aerogel material is now available in multi-wall polycarbonate vertical glazing systems developed by Duo-Gard Industries Inc., a leading innovator in advanced translucent daylighting systems and modular site shelters. This new collaboration expands daylighting design options to architects, designers and contractors.
Duo-Gard's custom design/build daylighting systems, marketed for commercial, industrial and educational facilities, as well as unique residential applications, integrate the industry's widest range of multi-wall polycarbonate glazings in engineered structural framings. The systems create diffused daylight, balancing natural light transmission and energy efficiency, as they minimize glare and heat gain for vertical walls in exterior and interior applications. The high-performance polycarbonates are easily cold- formed and weigh only one-sixth as much as glass, yet provide 200 times the impact strength, enabling architects to work with wider spans, lighter supports and unparalleled design flexibility in thickness, texture, color and framing.
Since its introduction two years ago, Nanogel aerogel has been gaining acceptance worldwide and now has been installed in a variety of daylighting projects in over 35 states in the US and 5 countries in Europe. "Nanogel material has special appeal to both architects and interior designers because it illuminates a unique quality of soft, warm light and has superior insulation and sound absorption properties," said James Satterwhite, global business manager for Cabot Nanogel Construction segment.
"Architects and designers today are increasingly aware of the benefits of translucent daylighting, and they're looking for options that enable them to make the most of those benefits," said David Miller, president of Duo-Gard. "By offering the Nanogel option, we continue our tradition of innovation with high-performance polycarbonate technology."
Nanogel aerogel is the world's lightest, light transmitting and insulating solid material. The aerogel material's superior insulation performance (R- 8/inch) is due to several key attributes:
- Nano-pores stop convection -- The surface of one 3mm Nanogel aerogel particle contains 10 billion holes, 1,000 trillion pores and enough nano-strands linked end-to-end to make one twin-size (50"x70") bed sheet.
- Low solids restrict conduction -- The particles are more than 97% air so there is little conduction.
The Nanogel aerogel material also has other permanent performance features. Nanogel aerogels are translucent and can transmit up to 78% of natural daylight. The material repels water and will not promote condensation, or growth of mold and mildew, and it will not change color over time.
Duo-Gard daylighting systems in combination with Nanogel aerogel bring a wide range of benefits to architectural applications, including:
- Improved thermal and acoustic insulation of the building structure
- Energy-efficiency and security with a thickness of 8mm to 40mm to cover a wide range of structural requirements
- Sound dampening qualities to create quieter indoor environments
- Superior architectural detail when viewed from the exterior or interior
- Transmission of diffused light to building interiors, eliminating glare and shadows, while increasing comfort and productivity for occupants.