(Thread isn't late by the way. As far as I know I am the first person to post about me actually making Aerogel in my own lab... Seeings how I did it last week, I would actually be pretty impressed if other people from around the world knew what I did before I actually told anyone.)
[B]Aerogel! Amazing material![/B]
It is a very low density material with incredible thermal insulating properties. It looks cool, it acts cool, its all around cool. Here is some more information on it.
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/Aerogelbrick.jpg/200px-Aerogelbrick.jpg[/img]
[release]Aerogel is a synthetic porous material derived from a gel, in which the liquid component of the gel has been replaced with a gas. The result is a solid with extremely low density and thermal conductivity. It is nicknamed frozen smoke, solid smoke, solid air or blue smoke owing to its translucent nature and the way light scatters in the material; however, it feels like expanded polystyrene (styrofoam) to the touch.
Aerogel was first created by Samuel Stephens Kistler in 1931, as a result of a bet with Charles Learned over who could replace the liquid in "jellies" with gas without causing shrinkage.
Aerogels are produced by extracting the liquid component of a gel through supercritical drying. This allows the liquid to be slowly drawn off without causing the solid matrix in the gel to collapse from capillary action, as would happen with conventional evaporation. The first aerogels were produced from silica gels. Kistler's later work involved aerogels based on alumina, chromia and tin oxide. Carbon aerogels were first developed in the late 1980s.[/release]
Wait a second. You already knew all that? but how? Oh, you say this has been posted on Facepunch hundreds of times? Well of course it has, because it is awesome. Then why am I attempting to repost such redundant information? Well a little background on myself.
I am a chemist and I am currently working on a project involving nano-particles that can be used for photocatalytic oxidation (kills bad stuff or generates useful stuff). As a side project I am also working on turning the particles into a storage method to produce better batteries for consumers. The structure of the particles are my avatar actually (they are kind of cute). Well since I am in a lab and have access to pretty much anything I want and have clearance to order anything I want if I do not currently have it, I find myself trying new things to keep myself from being too bored during down time (running instruments can take a while).
Well that gets us to where this thread was headed to. Of course I wouldn't just post a bunch of information of Aerogel and say, "Look! Information you have read every month for 3 years!"
Here are some pictures! Everyone loves pictures.
[URL=http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/yoman258/?action=view¤t=20120210_111132.jpg][IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/yoman258/th_20120210_111132.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
Here you can clearly see several chunks of what appears to be Aerogel! I found some materials in the stock room and decided to give it a shot.
[URL=http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/yoman258/?action=view¤t=20120210_111115.jpg][IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/yoman258/th_20120210_111115.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
This is a good image to show the two extremes of the material. If you look closely you can see a bit floating at the surface of the liquid and some submerged. The difference between these two materials is that the submerged material collapsed upon itself creating a more dense substance. The material floating is the exact opposite, it didn't collapse and is forming a nice lattice and decreasing density.
The part floating on the surface is a successful attempt at making a hydrophobic Aerogel structure. The submerged is hydrophilic which is what caused the collapsing of the lattice structure.
[URL=http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/yoman258/?action=view¤t=20120210_105242.jpg][IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/yoman258/th_20120210_105242.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
This is a good picture to see the translucent appearance of the Aerogel.
[URL=http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/yoman258/?action=view¤t=20120210_105221.jpg][IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/yoman258/th_20120210_105221.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
A bonus picture showing the light blue color of the material.
This was all just a preliminary test of actually making it. Hopefully I will have something more to show once I can get the hydrophobic dried material to not collapse.
I know this isn't too exciting for anyone else, but thought I would share some pictures of a fun experiment. Thanks for letting me be a part of your daily routine of wasting time! I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in your day!
What happens if it's ingested?
[QUOTE=BigOwl;34681986]What happens if it's ingested?[/QUOTE]
As far as I can tell it's just carbon and gas, it probably won't kill you. I'm not a chemist though (I'm only studying it at A-level) so I don't know for sure.
What are the potential uses of Aerogel?
[QUOTE=BigOwl;34681986]What happens if it's ingested?[/QUOTE]
Um, further scientific studies need to be done to answer this question. But it probably isn't a good idea to eat it.
Could this be used to create new foods with different phyisical characteristics?
What chemical is this aerogel based on?
[editline]13th February 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=BigOwl;34682042]Could this be used to create new foods with different phyisical characteristics?[/QUOTE]
Hydrophobic foods.
[QUOTE=Squad;34682032]Um, further scientific studies need to be done to answer this question. But it probably isn't a good idea to eat it.[/QUOTE]
Oh, I'm going to eat it, I just wanted to know if I'll see you on the other side.
[QUOTE=Thoughtless;34682008]As far as I can tell it's just carbon and gas, it probably won't kill you. I'm not a chemist though (I'm only studying it at A-level) so I don't know for sure.[/QUOTE]
Silica was used to produce this, SiO2.
The uses of it vary. It is a very very very good insulator. However, there are a few other uses for it other than just insulation.
This Aerogel is going to be used to have as a cool material to place on a desk.
Could this be used with synthetic materials like coats?
[QUOTE=BigOwl;34682169]Could this be used with synthetic materials like coats?[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I think it actually is used for that.
[QUOTE=BigOwl;34681986]What happens if it's ingested?[/QUOTE]
You gain its powers.
If I recall correctly, this stuff is incredibly light, but also really good at insulating things... How difficult would it be, then, to use this as an insulator in travel mugs, and what effect could that have?
[QUOTE=woolio1;34682235]If I recall correctly, this stuff is incredibly light, but also really good at insulating things... How difficult would it be, then, to use this as an insulator in travel mugs, and what effect could that have?[/QUOTE]
Said mug would be expensive.
[QUOTE=woolio1;34682235]If I recall correctly, this stuff is incredibly light, but also really good at insulating things... How difficult would it be, then, to use this as an insulator in travel mugs, and what effect could that have?[/QUOTE]
Could act as a very good mug insulator. The mug would be cool to the touch while the inside should stay warm for extended periods of time. You would want to create a cylinder shape mold for it to create a solid piece of Aerogel to circle the mug. I don't believe granules would give you the same dramatic effect.
A downside might be keeping your drink too hot for too long.
[editline]13th February 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=MC3craze;34682248]Said mug would be expensive.[/QUOTE]
It actually isn't that expensive at all. For a mug I guess it would be expensive, but it wouldn't be a $100 mug or anything. It would still be reasonable.
[QUOTE=woolio1;34682235]If I recall correctly, this stuff is incredibly light, but also really good at insulating things... How difficult would it be, then, to use this as an insulator in travel mugs, and what effect could that have?[/QUOTE]
Your coffee would survive the next thousand ice-ages.
I am assuming all the "late" ratings are from people who didn't make it past the first paragraph. For those of you who actually read a little bit, I thank you for humoring me with your attention.
[QUOTE=Squad;34682275]Could act as a very good mug insulator. The mug would be cool to the touch while the inside should stay warm for extended periods of time. You would want to create a cylinder shape mold for it to create a solid piece of Aerogel to circle the mug. I don't believe granules would give you the same dramatic effect.
A downside might be keeping your drink too hot for too long.
[/QUOTE]
I like this idea... If you find the time and resources, perhaps try prototyping it? If there's one thing anyone who works long hours poring over detail likes, it's coffee. You might find yourself in a very profitable business if you can work out the issues.
If not, you've got a laboratory full of amazingly efficient coffee mugs. And what's bad about that?
[QUOTE=woolio1;34682372]I like this idea... If you find the time and resources, perhaps try prototyping it? If there's one thing anyone who works long hours poring over detail likes, it's coffee. You might find yourself in a very profitable business if you can work out the issues.
If not, you've got a laboratory full of amazingly efficient coffee mugs. And what's bad about that?[/QUOTE]
I like the way you think! Who cares if it isn't profitable, I would use the mugs and give them out. It's a win/win situation.
How expensive would it be to insulate houses with?
[QUOTE=Thoughtless;34682429]How expensive would it be to insulate houses with?[/QUOTE]
If I had to guess. I would say maybe 6 times more than the most expensive type of insulation currently available. That would be my low estimate.
You would save a ton of money in the long run though. Energy cost would go down to heat and cool your home. Your furnace and air conditioner unit would last longer because it wouldn't have to run as much. Basically you are looking at mechanical and energy savings over long periods of time.
Can you make this, say, with the equipment available at a university? Is there a process you could follow?
[QUOTE=Squad;34682456]If I had to guess. I would say maybe 6 times more than the most expensive type of insulation currently available. That would be my low estimate.
You would save a ton of money in the long run though. Energy cost would go down to heat and cool your home. Your furnace and air conditioner unit would last longer because it wouldn't have to run as much. Basically you are looking at mechanical and energy savings over long periods of time.[/QUOTE]
doubt it, spray insulation is pretty good
Did some searching, and you can actually buy an Aerogel blanket of sorts for insulation purposes. Tolerates heat up to 390F with no instability. $30 for one square foot. Insulates as well as a 6-inch layer of styrofoam, with the blanket being 5mm thick.
Of course, your results will vary depending on the structure of the gel. I've also found one that can survive heat of up to 2000F.
[QUOTE=Alxnotorious;34682516]Can you make this, say, with the equipment available at a university? Is there a process you could follow?[/QUOTE]
You surely could. I believe there are several procedures readily available to make this, some are better than others. Make sure to find a source that seems to have some validity.
Your university should have everything to create this, they may not have all of the materials though.
What's the melting point like for this stuff?
[QUOTE=Shadaez;34682532]doubt it, spray insulation is pretty good[/QUOTE]
It is incredibly good, yes. If a method was developed to create the same kind of coverage with this material you would see savings. But just packing this into a roll on sheet might not give results comparible to the spray insulation.
[QUOTE=Chubbs;34682577]What's the melting point like for this stuff?[/QUOTE]
Depends on the structure and composition. Standard silica-based aerogel will become unstable at a lower temperature than something meant to handle the heat.
[QUOTE=Chubbs;34682577]What's the melting point like for this stuff?[/QUOTE]
Around 1200C, possibly a little more. This is for Silica based Aerogel. Aerogels made from other materials will have different melting temperatures.
[QUOTE=Squad;34682629]Around 1200C, possibly a little more. This is for Silica based Aerogel. Aerogels made from other materials will have different melting temperatures.[/QUOTE]
Hmm, I'm thinking that you could use it to insulate things like crucibles then, so that once you heat them up you will have the stuff inside molten for longer.
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