Thermal insulation using fullerenes

A novel type of multi-layer vacuum insulation based on carbon nano-materials, namely fullerenes, has been demonstrated. The design is based on unique thermal insulation properties of fullerenes, arising from their electronic structure, as well as proprietary deposition technique using thin layers of reflective material as a support. As a result of experimental testing, the fabricated samples of fullerene-based insulation were shown to possess R-values of 36 to 40 per inch of thickness at cryogenic temperatures, which considerably exceeds those of commonly available insulation materials (for example, polyurethane (R6.7), expanded polystyrene (R3.8), and even vacuum insulated panels (R9∼24)). Application of such insulation will result in significant size and weight reduction while maintaining cost-effectiveness.