BACKGROUND

Foam based construction boards are often used to insulate commercial and residential structures. The foam based construction boards often include polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foam. These foam boards offer an efficient way to increase the thermal efficiency of an enclosure and are relatively lightweight, non-corrosive, and easy to handle and cut due to their foam construction. Foam boards also offer exceptional flame resistance, smoke spread resistance, and/or mechanical properties making them an excellent choice in insulating most structures.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The embodiments described herein relate to construction boards that include an Aerogel material disposed within the interior of the construction board. According to one aspect, a polyurethane foam based construction product includes a foam core and a mixture of Aerogel and carbon black disposed within the foam core. The foam core includes polyurethane foam and the mixture of Aerogel and carbon black includes between 90 and 99 weight percent of the Aerogel and between 1 and 10 weight percent of the carbon black. The mixture of Aerogel and carbon black is enclosed within a barrier material such that the polyurethane foam does not directly contact the Aerogel and carbon black and the barrier material is entirely surrounded by the polyurethane foam. The construction product has or exhibits an R-value of at least 8.0 per inch, a flame spread index of at most 30, and a smoke development index of at most 300 as measured according to ASTM E-84 test.

The Aerogel and carbon black may be vacuum sealed within the barrier material and/or the barrier material may have a thickness of between 0.2 and 0.4 inches. The foam core may include a ratio of the polyurethane foam to the mixture of Aerogel and carbon black of between 1.5 and 10.5. The construction product may have a thickness of 1 inch. The foam core may include between 10 and 90 percent by volume of the mixture of Aerogel and carbon black. The barrier material may form capsules or pouches and the construction product may include a plurality of such capsules or pouches. In a specific embodiment, the polyurethane foam in the foam core is polyisocyanurate foam.

Accordingly to another aspect, an insulative construction product includes a polyurethane foam core and a mixture of Aerogel and carbon black disposed within the polyurethane foam core. The mixture of Aerogel and carbon black includes between 90 and 99 weight percent of the Aerogel and between 1 and 10 weight percent of the carbon black. The polyurethane foam core include between 10 and 90 percent by volume of the mixture and the construction product has or exhibits an R-value of at least 8.0 R/inch.

The Aerogel may be separated from the polyurethane foam by a barrier material so that the polyurethane foam does not directly contact the Aerogel. In such embodiments, the Aerogel may be enclosed within the barrier material in order to separate the Aerogel from the polyurethane foam. The Aerogel may be vacuum sealed within the barrier material and/or the barrier material may be entirely surrounded by the polyurethane foam. The carbon black may also be enclosed within the barrier material. The barrier material may form capsules or pouches and the construction product may include a plurality of such capsules or pouches. The polyurethane foam core may be made of polyisocyanurate foam. The construction product may include a ratio of polyurethane foam to Aerogel and carbon black of between 1.5 and 10.5.

According to another aspect, a method of forming a construction product includes providing a foam core and positioning a mixture of Aerogel and carbon black within the foam core. The foam core includes polyurethane foam and includes between 10 and 90 percent by volume of the mixture of Aerogel and carbon black. The mixture of Aerogel and carbon black includes between 90 and 99 weight percent of the Aerogel and between 1 and 10 weight percent of the carbon black. The construction product has an R-value of at least 8.0 R/inch, a flame spread index of at most 30, and a smoke development index of at most 300 as measured according to ASTM E-84 test.

The method may also include separating the Aerogel from the polyurethane foam via a barrier material so that the polyurethane foam does not directly contact the Aerogel. In such embodiments, the method may also include enclosing the Aerogel within the barrier material in order to separate the Aerogel from the polyurethane foam. The barrier material may be entirely surrounded by the polyurethane foam when the barrier material is positioned within the foam core. The method may further include enclosing the carbon black within the barrier material and/or vacuum sealing the Aerogel within the barrier material.

The enclosed Aerogel may form a capsule or pouch and in such embodiments, the method may also include positioning a plurality of capsules or pouches within the construction board. In one embodiment, positioning the mixture of Aerogel and carbon black within the foam core includes pouring liquid polyurethane foam around the mixture of Aerogel and carbon black so that the liquid polyurethane foam entirely surrounds the mixture of Aerogel and carbon black. In such embodiment, the method also includes allowing the liquid polyurethane foam to harden. In other embodiments, positioning the mixture of Aerogel and carbon black within the foam core includes positioning the mixture of Aerogel and carbon black between two preformed polyurethane foam boards. In an exemplary embodiment, the polyurethane foam in the foam core is polyisocyanurate foam.

