Aerogel: The Lightest Solid Thatâs Changing the World
When you think of the worldâs lightest solid, you might imagine something fragile, delicate, and not very useful. But what if we told you that this material can insulate better than anything else, survive extreme environments, and even help land a spacecraft on Mars? Meet aerogel, a material thatâs as fascinating as it is futuristic.
What is Aerogel?
Aerogel is a synthetic, porous ultralight material derived from a gel, in which the liquid component has been replaced with gas. The result is a solid with extremely low density and thermal conductivity. Often nicknamed âfrozen smokeâ or âsolid air,â aerogels are composed mostly of airâup to 99.8% by volumeâyet they are surprisingly strong and resilient.
The most common type is silica aerogel, but other types include carbon, metal oxides, and polymer-based aerogels, each with unique properties and applications.
A Brief History of Aerogel
Aerogel was first created in 1931 by American chemist Samuel Kistler, who wasâŚ