Patent ID: 8039099

Claim:
A polymer coated aerogel having a compressive modulus and comprising: an aerogel substrate comprised of a bubble matrix, wherein the aerogel substrate has a first compressive modulus; an additive deposited on the aerogel substrate, wherein the additive permeates into the bubble matrix, and wherein the additive consists of titanium dioxide; and a polymer coating deposited on the aerogel substrate, wherein the polymer coating permeates into the bubble matrix, wherein the polymer coated aerogel maintains an effective porosity, wherein the term effective porosity comprises a porosity effective to retard heat transfer required for a predetermined application, wherein the compressive modulus of the polymer coated aerogel is greater than the first compressive modulus, wherein the polymer coated aerogel is produced in accordance with the following steps: providing the aerogel substrate comprising the bubble matrix in a chamber; depositing the additive on the aerogel substrate under deposition conditions effective to produce permeation of the additive into the bubble matrix of the aerogel substrate; providing a monomer to the chamber, wherein the monomer is comprised of a vapor phase monomer by vaporizing the monomer at a vaporization temperature of about 200° C. or less at about 1 atm or less to produce the vapor phase monomer; depositing the monomer on the aerogel substrate under deposition conditions effective to produce a vapor pressure sufficient to cause the vapor phase monomer to permeate into the bubble matrix and deposit on the aerogel substrate, producing a monomer film; and polymerizing the monomer film under polymerization conditions effective to produce the polymer coating, wherein the polymer coating is deposited substantially over the additive and wherein the step of depositing the additive occurs before the step of depositing the monomer.