The present invention relates to a castable, aerogel-based, ultra-low
thermal conductivity opacified insulation to suppress sublimation. More
specifically, the present invention relates to an aerogel opacified with
various opacifying or reflecting constituents to suppress sublimation and
provide thermal insulation in thermoelectric modules. The opacifying
constituent can be graded within the aerogel for increased sublimation
suppression, and the density of the aerogel can similarly be graded to
achieve optimal thermal insulation and sublimation suppression.