Composite materials comprising a polymer matrix and granules embedded therein

Abstract

The present invention provides composite materials comprising a polymer matrix comprising one or more polymers and, embedded into the polymer matrix, granules which preferably after embedding have at least one cavity which is closed off relative to the ambient environment and in which there is an underpressure relative to the standard pressure of 1 bar (100 kPa), a method for producing such composite materials, and use as insulating material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composite material comprising a polymer matrix comprising one or more polymers and, embedded into the polymer matrix, granules which have at least one cavity which is closed off relative to an ambient environment and in which there is an underpressure relative to a standard pressure of 1 bar (100 kPa). 
     
     
         2 . The composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the underpressure is less than 500 mbar. 
     
     
         3 . The composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cavity is closed off relative to the ambient environment by a bather composed of a glasslike compound or of a plastic-metal composite. 
     
     
         4 . The composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix is a closed-cell polymer foam matrix. 
     
     
         5 . The composite material according to  claim 4 , wherein the polymer foam matrix is a rigid polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foam. 
     
     
         6 . The composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the granules comprise a material having a BET surface area of greater than 5 m 2 /g,. 
     
     
         7 . The composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the granules consist substantially of compacted powders of fumed silica or precipitated silica. 
     
     
         8 . A method for producing a composite material comprising mixing a material for producing a polymer matrix with granules having at least one cavity which is closed off relative to an ambient environment and in which there is an underpressure relative to a standard pressure of 1 bar (100 kPa), and embedding the granules within the polymer matrix. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said embedding the granules comprises subjecting open-pored porous granules to an underpressure and furnishing the open-pored porous granules with an air- or gas-impermeable barrier layer. 
     
     
         10 . A method for producing a composite material comprising subjecting unencapsulated, open-porously porous granules to an underpressure; and embedding said granules into a polymer matrix, wherein the embedding comprises enveloping the granules with said polymer matrix, while maintaining said underpressure in cavities of the granules. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the polymer matrix is a polymer or a mixture of polymers or are the reactants for generating the polymer or polymers. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the polymer matrix is a polymer or a mixture of polymers or are the reactants for generating the polymer or polymers. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising foaming. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising foaming. 
     
     
         15 . An insulating material comprising a composite material according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . The insulating material according to  claim 15 , wherein said insulating material is used for insulating buildings, including windows, doors and roller-shutter boxes, for insulating space, air, open-water and/or land vehicles, for insulating pipelines, or for insulating parts of cooling or heating units or assemblies, refrigeration equipment, hot-water/coolant reservoirs, swimming-pool covers and swimming-pool insulation systems. 
     
     
         17 . An article comprising a composite material according to  claim 1 .