MEGEL AP-300 — Coarse Aerogel Powder for Mortar and Cement Additive

Overview

MEGEL AP-300 is the mortar-additive specification within the MEGEL silica aerogel powder range — a coarser, cost-optimised grade engineered for integration into cement-based mortars, plasters, and concrete formulations where the application requires aerogel functional performance at the lowest practical cost per litre of finished product. The particle size distribution (50–200 μm) is selected to integrate cleanly with construction-aggregate gradations and to survive standard mortar mixing equipment without significant particle damage.

AP-300 trades a small thermal-conductivity penalty (0.022 W/(m·K) vs 0.020 for AP-100 / AP-200) for material processing advantages that matter in volume construction:

• Mixer compatibility. Coarser particles survive paddle mixer, drum mixer, and pan mixer operation at the speeds typical of cement plants and ready-mix mortar plants. Finer aerogel grades (AP-100, AP-200) require dedicated low-shear dispersion equipment that volume construction operators do not have.
• Lower BET surface area (600–700 m²/g vs 800–900) reduces water demand when added to cement-based binders, simplifying mix design and avoiding the plasticiser-overdose phenomenon that has historically discouraged volume aerogel-mortar adoption.
• Higher bulk density (80–120 kg/m³) reduces transport cost per cubic metre of aerogel content delivered, a non-trivial cost driver when shipping large quantities to construction-site batch plants.

MEGEL AP-300 is the highest-volume powder grade in the MEGEL range, supporting construction-industry retrofit demand under European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the parallel Chinese green-building standards.

Technical Specifications

Applications

Insulating Cement-Based Plaster

AP-300 at 15–30% volume loading in lime-cement plaster produces a thermal-insulating internal wall plaster — thermal conductivity 0.040–0.060 W/(m·K) (vs 0.6 for standard cement plaster). Applied at 20–40 mm thickness on interior walls of retrofit residential buildings, a single coat replaces both insulation board and finish plaster, saving installation time and material cost. The hydrophobic surface treatment prevents aerogel collapse during the cement-hydration water-demand peak. Compressive strength is moderately reduced — typical 1.0–1.5 MPa at 28 days vs 3–5 MPa for standard cement plaster — so AP-300 plaster is unsuitable on load-bearing surfaces.

Thermal-Insulating Concrete

Lightweight thermal-insulating concrete for floor slab insulation, roof slab thermal break, and exterior wall sandwich panel cores uses AP-300 at 25–40% volume loading. Cured concrete density 400–700 kg/m³ (vs 2,400 for structural concrete), thermal conductivity 0.080–0.150 W/(m·K), compressive strength 1.5–3 MPa. Used as a non-structural fill in cellular concrete elements, between a structural concrete bottom and a finish wear-coat top, delivering thermal break across thermal bridges in building envelopes.

Geopolymer and Alternative Binder Systems

AP-300 hydrophobicity makes it compatible with alkali-activated geopolymer and lime-based binder systems where conventional polymer aerogel additives would chemically degrade. Geopolymer-aerogel mortars used in fire-protective wall coatings, blast-resistant building panels, and refractory backup applications take advantage of the dual cement-system inertia and aerogel thermal performance.

Construction Board Manufacturing

Mineral-bound construction board manufacturers integrate AP-300 at 10–20% volume loading into magnesium oxychloride (MOC) or magnesium oxysulfate (MOS) binder systems, producing thermal-insulating board with conductivity 0.045–0.065 W/(m·K), Class A1 non-combustible, and machinable with standard tools. Boards used in fire-rated wall partition systems, ceiling under-deck insulation, and pre-engineered modular building panels.

Packaging & Storage

AP-300 is supplied in three package sizes selected for construction-industry handling:

• 15 kg PE-lined paper bag — small-batch mortar formulation, retail distribution
• 100 kg FIBC — production mortar plants, manual or pneumatic transfer
• 500 kg bulk-sack — high-volume ready-mix mortar and concrete batch plants

MOQ is 200 kg; 40' container loads 14–18 tonnes of AP-300 depending on package mix. Bulk-handling pneumatic transfer at <0.3 bar pressure is the recommended industrial protocol; higher pressures can damage particle structure.

Store dry, below 40°C. The moisture-content tolerance is more relaxed than AP-100 / AP-200 (<1.0% Karl Fischer vs <0.3–0.5%) because mortar applications introduce mixing-water in any case. Standard P100 respirator for handling; closed-system pneumatic transfer for high-throughput operations. Shelf life is 24 months in original sealed packaging.

Related Products

• MEGEL® Silica Aerogel — parent hub
• MEGEL AP-100 — paint and coating grade, finer particle
• MEGEL AP-200 — VIP core grade, intermediate particle
• MEGEL AG-100 — granular format for fine plaster
• MEGEL AG-200 — granular format for insulating concrete