How to achieve high thermal insulation?

Keeping sustainability at the forefront, thermal insulation becomes critical due to its direct and significant impact on energy consumption and environmental footprint. Let’s see some of these factors:

• Reduced operational costs for end-users: Products that incorporate effective thermal insulation consume less energy for heating or cooling, directly translating to lower utility bills for the end-user. This is a significant selling point and a key driver in today's energy-conscious market
• Compliance with regulations: Stricter energy efficiency standards and green building certifications (e.g., LEED, BREEAM) are becoming increasingly common. OEMs must meet these regulations to sell their products in various markets, making thermal insulation a non-negotiable component
• Carbon footprint reduction: OEMs are under increasing pressure to reduce their environmental impact. Energy-efficient products contribute to lower greenhouse gas emissions, aligning with sustainability goals and enhancing brand reputation

Not only for energy savings, but thermal insulation is key to product longevity too:

• Many sensitive components (e.g., electronics, batteries in EVs) operate optimally within specific temperature ranges. Thermal insulation helps maintain these ideal conditions, preventing overheating or excessive cooling that can degrade performance and shorten product lifespan
• By preventing extreme temperature fluctuations, thermal insulation reduces thermal stress on components, leading to greater product reliability and extended operational life. This minimizes warranty claims and improves customer satisfaction

A plastic's thermal insulation property is primarily determined by its thermal conductivity, which measures how readily heat can pass through it. A lower thermal conductivity means better insulation.

1. Crystallinity: Higher crystallinity typically means higher thermal conductivity because of tightly packed and aligned polymer chains
2. Cross-linking: Crosslinking creates strong covalent bonds between polymer chains which can facilitate heat transfer, potentially increasing thermal conductivity compared to non-crosslinked polymers
3. Temperature:

• For amorphous polymers, thermal conductivity increases with temperature up to the glass transition temperature (Tg), and then might decrease above Tg
• For semi-crystalline polymers, thermal conductivity is generally higher in the solid state than in the melt state due to increased density upon solidification

4. Moisture content: The presence of moisture within a plastic can slightly increase its thermal conductivity, as water conducts heat better than most plastics