Aerogel

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skip0110

skip0110

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skip0110
This has to be the coolest stuff on earth.



- Despite the name, it is solid and fragile like glass.
- This is because it is made of silicon.
- But it is 99.8% air and weighs 1000 times less than regular glass.
- That makes it the world's lightest solid, 3 times heavier than air.
- Because of all that space, the capillary action is so great that it will soak up water and shatter if you let it get wet.
- A pound of Aerogel can support half a ton of weight due to it's crystalline structure.
- Because of all the trapped air, a one inch thick piece of solid Aerogel is equivalent to the heat transfer resistance of 10 inches of double pane windows.
- You can weave it into fabric, like fiberglass mat.
- But because of all the air, it is 8 times as good at stopping heat transfer as a fiberglass mat.
- It melts at 1200 C.

I need some of this stuff (yes, you can buy tiny chunks for inordinate prices, but I want a big piece!).
 
This stuff is incredible.

I've never handled it, but I've seen samples of it here - I think some grad students are studying it's insulative effects. Really interesting.
I might have a use for some to insulate a thermal reservoir on some design project I'm working on, but I'd need to find pricing on large quantities of the material first (I'd need a silica aerogel).
 
skip0110
- You can weave it into fabric, like fiberglass mat.
- But because of all the air, it is 8 times as good at stopping heat transfer as a fiberglass mat.
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I'll have some racesuit underwear made of it then please. It's even better than Carbon-X!
 
Rameses Niblick III Kerplunk Kerplunk Whoops Where's My Thribble
How much does it cost for a full set of windows?
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I found some pricing here: http://www.glacierbay.com/barrier_price.asp
These are not transparent panels though, they're insulative linings, but it might give some indication of the price.

I'm not even sure that they have the ability to make fully transparent aerogels yet - it's just a future goal for the tecnology. I've only ever seen the hazy type shown in the first post.
 
Boundary Layer
I'm not even sure that they have the ability to make fully transparent aerogels yet - it's just a future goal for the tecnology. I've only ever seen the hazy type shown in the first post.
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Yes, I read somewhere that NASA is right now trying to make it transparent enough to be used for windows and the like.
 
And we all know Cracker's urinary problems. Not to mention his profuse underbelt sweating.

So what exactly is this Aerogel used for? It's strong very light, but must stay dry. Is it used for support in tiny sizes, like in computers or something?
 
For re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere because of it's heat absorbing properties. Or could be, it was used on a probe that was sent to collect comet dust a while back as well.
 
I think the insulating mat woven from it is also used in liquid nitrogen (and other gas) manufacturing facilities to minimize heat transfer.
 
Keef
And we all know Cracker's urinary problems. Not to mention his profuse underbelt sweating.
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I'll just have to wear my pvc full body suit, bought from that 'specialist' store in San Francisco underneath it then :sly:






'bring out the gimp...'
 
@Duke:
I'm not sure that property is inherent to all aerogels. It's not my own knowledge, but Wikipedia mentions that there is a chemical process that will make aerogels hydrophobic.

Or, if necessary I'm sure a thin layer of lexan (or similar) could be put on it's surfaces to protect it from the elements...
 
I've seen a picture of a 4" cube of this stuff that has been heated to glowing red hot. It insulates so well that it can be held by the edges with bare hands while the inside is still glowing.
 
Boundary Layer
@Duke:
I'm not sure that property is inherent to all aerogels. It's not my own knowledge, but Wikipedia mentions that there is a chemical process that will make aerogels hydrophobic.

Or, if necessary I'm sure a thin layer of lexan (or similar) could be put on it's surfaces to protect it from the elements...
Click to expand...

There's a seemingly commercially available material called Spaceloft that's been used in artic exploration clothing that has a layer of Aerogel within it and is hydrophobic.

http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/spinoff2001/ch5.html
 
Duke
I've seen a picture of a 4" cube of this stuff that has been heated to glowing red hot. It insulates so well that it can be held by the edges with bare hands while the inside is still glowing.
Click to expand...

Same is true of the ceramic tiles that the space shuttle uses, at a NASA press conference some guy was taking a blow torch to the top of a piece while holding it flat in his hand.
 
Those space shuttle tiles are amazing. We had some UW guys come into one of my classes. They took a blow torch to it and it was perfectly safe to touch, even cool. It is also durable. They had had the torch on the tile countless times and it was as good as new.

It is light too. It is probably around the weight of styrofoam. It is a bit less malleable too. It is really cool stuff.
 

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