Materials library

Industrial insulation materials — 12 datasheets with λ(T)

Every material below carries its temperature-dependent conductivity, service limit, density, governing standards, honest strengths/limits, and a computed heat-loss table. λ values are typical published datasheet figures — verify the specific product before design.

Material	Max service	λ low-T	λ high-T	Density kg/m³
Stone wool (mineral wool)	640 °C	0.036 @ 10 °C	0.121 @ 400 °C	80–150
Glass wool	450 °C	0.033 @ 10 °C	0.074 @ 250 °C	24–80
Ceramic fibre (RCF / AES blanket)	1200 °C	0.060 @ 200 °C	0.220 @ 800 °C	96–128
Aerogel blanket	650 °C	0.020 @ 0 °C	0.055 @ 400 °C	160–200
Calcium silicate	650 °C	0.055 @ 50 °C	0.104 @ 400 °C	220–260
Expanded perlite	650 °C	0.060 @ 50 °C	0.092 @ 300 °C	180–220
Cellular glass	430 °C	0.038 @ -50 °C	0.068 @ 200 °C	100–165
Microporous (fumed-silica) panels	1000 °C	0.022 @ 100 °C	0.040 @ 800 °C	220–320
Elastomeric foam (FEF)	150 °C	0.034 @ -20 °C	0.040 @ 40 °C	40–80
PIR / PUR rigid foam	140 °C	0.023 @ -30 °C	0.028 @ 50 °C	30–50
E-glass needle mat	550 °C	0.045 @ 100 °C	0.095 @ 400 °C	120–160
Silica needle mat / fabric	1000 °C	0.055 @ 200 °C	0.110 @ 600 °C	130–180

λ at mean temperature. Click through for the full curve and computed performance.

Same pipe, every material

The level playing field — DN100 at 250 °C, 50 mm

Material	λ W/m·K	Loss W/m	Surface	Saving €/m·yr	t CO2/m·yr
Stone wool (mineral wool)	0.052	112	37 °C	€348	1.3
Glass wool	0.050	106	36 °C	€351	1.3
Ceramic fibre (RCF / AES blanket)	0.060	127	39 °C	€341	1.2
Aerogel blanket	0.027	61	29 °C	€373	1.4
Calcium silicate	0.067	139	41 °C	€335	1.2
Expanded perlite	0.070	145	42 °C	€332	1.2
Cellular glass	0.058	122	38 °C	€343	1.3
Microporous (fumed-silica) panels	0.023	50	27 °C	€378	1.4
E-glass needle mat	0.050	106	36 °C	€351	1.3
Silica needle mat / fabric	0.055	117	37 °C	€346	1.3

DN100 pipe at 250 °C, 50 mm insulation, per metre of pipe; bare loss 826 W/m. λ at mean temperature; € and CO2 per metre·year at €0.05/kWh, 8000 h, 82% efficiency. Method: ASTM C680 simplified (h=10).

At 100 °C: see the full data-table library for every temperature.

FAQ

Questions on this topic

Which insulation material has the lowest thermal conductivity?

At ambient: aerogel blanket (λ≈0.020 W/m·K) and microporous panels (≈0.022). At 400–800 °C microporous wins outright — its λ stays below still air. For everyday hot work, stone wool's 0.04–0.12 across its range is the cost-performance reference everything else is judged against.

What insulation material handles the highest temperature?

Ceramic fibre (RCF/AES) blankets serve to 1200 °C, silica textiles and microporous to ~1000 °C, stone wool to ~640 °C, glass wool to ~450 °C, cellular glass to 430 °C, and the organics (elastomeric, PIR) stop around 110–150 °C.

Why does thermal conductivity rise with temperature?

Radiation across the pores grows with T³ and gas conduction increases too — so a material specified at its 10 °C lambda performs far worse at steam temperatures. Always design with λ at the MEAN of hot-face and ambient — the difference is 2–3× for fibrous materials. Every table on this site does exactly that.