Overview
MEGEL AP-200 is the vacuum insulation panel (VIP) core specification within the MEGEL silica aerogel powder range. The defining application is the VIP — a vacuum-sealed laminate envelope containing aerogel powder that achieves thermal conductivity as low as 0.005 W/(m·K) by suppressing all residual gas-phase conduction. AP-200 is the powder grade engineered to perform under vacuum conditions where the standalone aerogel value of 0.018 W/(m·K) is reduced by a further 3–4× through evacuation of the inter-particle gas.
The particle size distribution (20–80 μm), BET surface area (800–900 m²/g), and tightly controlled moisture content (<0.3% Karl Fischer) are the three parameters that govern VIP performance:
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Particle size matters for vacuum-pumping integrity. Particles below 10 μm clog the laminate envelope desiccant and degrade vacuum quality over panel lifetime; particles above 100 μm cluster and create gas channels that defeat the Knudsen-effect suppression. The AP-200 distribution is the tested sweet spot validated by major VIP manufacturers.
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BET surface area sets the achievable conductivity floor. The 800–900 m²/g range delivers conductivity 25–30% lower than commodity fumed-silica VIP core fill at the same vacuum pressure, with measurable savings on refrigerator door panel thickness in domestic appliance applications.
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Moisture content governs panel service life. Water vapour outgassing inside the sealed envelope is the dominant cause of premature VIP failure (premature gas-conductivity rise). AP-200 ships with <0.3% Karl Fischer moisture and pre-dried packaging to maintain that limit through downstream warehousing.
Technical Specifications
| Property | Unit | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Particle size (D50) | μm | 20–80 |
| Particle size (D90) | μm | <120 |
| Particle size (D10) | μm | >10 |
| Bulk density | kg/m³ | 60–100 |
| BET surface area | m²/g | 800–900 |
| Pore volume | cm³/g | 3.5–4.5 |
| Pore size (mean) | nm | 18–35 |
| Thermal conductivity (atmospheric) | W/(m·K) | 0.020 |
| Thermal conductivity (1 mbar vacuum) | W/(m·K) | 0.005–0.008 |
| Moisture content (Karl Fischer) | % | <0.3 |
| Surface treatment | — | HMDS / TMCS silylation |
| Standard packaging | — | 5 kg, 15 kg, 100 kg FIBC, vacuum-sealed inner liner |
Applications
Refrigerator and Freezer VIP Panel Core
AP-200 is the dominant core fill for domestic and commercial refrigerator door and side-wall VIPs. A typical refrigerator side-wall VIP: laminate envelope of multilayer Al-PET film, AP-200 powder filled to 80–90% panel-cavity volume, evacuated to <1 mbar, heat-sealed. Panel thermal conductivity 0.005–0.008 W/(m·K) at 25°C, total panel thickness 5–10 mm, replaces 30–60 mm of conventional polyurethane foam. Lifetime conductivity rise to 0.015 W/(m·K) over 15-year service is the industry-acceptable degradation curve.
Cold-Chain Logistics Container
Active and passive cold-chain logistics containers (pharmaceutical cold chain, vaccine distribution, organ transport, premium grocery e-commerce) use AP-200 VIPs in container walls to maintain −20°C or +2 to +8°C interior temperature over 48–96 hours from a single PCM (phase-change material) charge. Panel thickness 5–8 mm replaces 30–50 mm of EPS foam at equivalent thermal resistance, increasing usable interior volume per container by 8–15%.
Building Envelope VIP for Ultra-Low-Energy Construction
Passive house, near-zero-energy building, and historical-renovation projects use AP-200 VIPs in floor, wall, and roof assemblies where structural depth is constrained or where minimising envelope thickness preserves indoor floor area. AP-200-filled VIP at 30 mm thickness delivers thermal resistance equivalent to 200 mm of mineral wool, a 6.6× thickness reduction that is decisive in cellar floor retrofits and historical-building external wall insulation.
Aerospace and Specialty Cryogenic
Aerospace cryogenic propellant tank insulation, satellite electronics enclosure thermal control, and ground cryogenic vessel multilayer insulation systems use AP-200 in specialty VIP formats with higher-barrier laminate envelopes (metal foil + polymer multilayer) to extend service life to 25+ years under high-temperature-gradient operation.
Packaging & Storage
AP-200 is supplied in moisture-barrier sealed packages — the inner liner is a high-barrier multilayer laminate (Al-PET-PE) that maintains <0.3% Karl Fischer through 24-month storage. Standard packaging: 5 kg (pilot scale), 15 kg (production), 100 kg FIBC with vacuum-sealed inner liner (industrial appliance VIP manufacturers).
MOQ is 100 kg. 40' container loads 8–12 tonnes depending on package mix. For automotive Tier-1 cold-chain VIP programmes, dedicated low-moisture-batch production with extended Karl Fischer specification (<0.2%) is available against firm order.
Store sealed below 30°C in dry conditions. If the inner moisture-barrier liner is opened, the powder should be redried or used within 7 days for VIP applications. Standard P100 respirator and eye protection for handling; closed-system pneumatic transfer for high-throughput VIP fill operations.
Related Products
- MEGEL® Silica Aerogel — parent hub
- MEGEL AP-100 — finer particle size for paint and coating formulation
- MEGEL AP-300 — coarser particle size for mortar additive
- MEGEL AG-100 — granule format for plaster and mortar
- VIP Fumed Silica — fumed-silica VIP core alternative
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