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How it Works 
The insulating component of Nansulate® is a material we call Hydro-NM-Oxide. Passage of thermal energy through an insulating material is an attempt by hotter, fast vibrating molecules to transfer energy to cooler, slow vibrating molecules in order to reach equilibrium. It occurs in three ways; solid conductivity, gaseous conductivity, and radiative (infrared) transmission. The total of these is the thermal conductivity of the material. Our material is by far the world's worst conductor of thermal energy and the world's best thermal insulation medium, and it provides excellent protection against rust and corrosion, including Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI).Thermal conduction through the solid portion is hindered by the tiny size of the connections between the particles making up the conduction path and the solids that are present consist of very small particles linked in a three-dimensional network (with many "dead-ends"). Therefore, thermal transfer through the solid portion occurs through a very complicated maze and is not very effective. Air and gas in the material can inherently also transport thermal energy, but the gas molecules within the matrix experience what is known as the Knudsen effect and the exchange of energy is virtually eliminated. Conduction is limited because the "tunnels" are only the size of the mean-free path for molecular collisions, smaller than a wave of light, and molecules collide with the solid network as frequently as they collide with each other. The unique structure... nanometer-sized cells, pores, and particles, means poor thermal conduction. Radiative conduction is low due to small mass fractions and large surface areas. Thermal Insulation Comparisons There are two standard measurements of the insulating quality of a material and different reports will use one or the other of these two… R-Value or Thermal Conductivity (W/mK). We offer comparisons in both and include the data in the measurement in which it is available for each material. Nansulate® coating when fully cured... a mininum of 30 to 60 days after application (depending on humidity and climate), consists of over 70% by volume of the nanomaterial we call Hydro-NM-Oxide. Other thermal insulation materials (foam, fiberglass batting, etc.) work by trapping air and the air provides the insulation. They also trap mold, moisture, dust, fungus & mildew over time, reducing the effectiveness of their energy efficiency. They offer no fire, corrosion, or condensation protection. What is the R-Value of Nansulate®? The R-Value is formulated using an inch of thickness as a measure. Due to the fact that Nansulate® is made to go on in a thin layer—less than an inch thick—an R-Value cannot be calculated for it. However the R-Value is only a measure of how a material works to insulate against Conduction, and not the other two methods of heat transfer, Convection and Radiation. Nansulate® will help to create a total thermal barrier, not only insulate by trapping air, as other insulations do. Below are the comparisons with other materials... R-Value: (HIGHER number means BETTER insulation)
Thermal Conductivity: (LOWER number means "less ability to conduct heat" = BETTER insulation)
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