Thomas G Kollie

Title: Innovations and Contributions of Thomas G. Kollie

Introduction

Thomas G. Kollie is a notable inventor based in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, recognized for his significant contributions to the field of materials science and engineering. With a total of nine patents to his name, Kollie's work primarily focuses on enhancing the performance of thermal insulating materials.

Latest Patents

Among his latest innovations, Kollie developed a method for gas permeability measurements for film envelope materials. This method and apparatus allow for the measurement of the permeability of polymer film materials used in super-insulation powder-filled evacuated panels (PEPs). By reducing the testing time from several years to weeks or months, this innovation significantly streamlines the evaluation process. The method involves substituting a solid non-outgassing body for the usual powder in the PEP, controlling the free volume of the 'body-filled panel'. The pressure versus time data collected during testing enables extrapolation to predict the long-term performance of candidate materials.

Another notable patent by Kollie is related to silica powders for powder evacuated thermal insulating panels. This invention utilizes generally spherical and porous silica particles with a median size of less than 100 nanometers in diameter. The silica particles are prepared through a reaction involving tetraakyl silicate, ammonia, and water in an alcohol solvent. The resulting silica particles exhibit defined internal and external porosity, providing powder evacuated thermal insulating panels with significantly higher R-values compared to previously known silica powders.