Aerogel - United Bimmer Community

**komodo** · 02-20-2006, 05:50 AM

http://www.unitednuclear.com/aerogel.htm

Quote:

Aerogel (also called 'frozen smoke' because of its hazy blue appearance), is a truly remarkable material.
It is the lightest and lowest-density solid known to exist, and holds an unbelievable 15 entries in the Guinness Book of World Records, including best insulator and lowest density solid.
Aerogel is composed of 99.8% air and is chemically similar to ordinary glass.

Being the world's lightest known solid, it weighs only three times that of air.

When handled, Aerogel feels like a very light, hard foam. Being chemically similar to glass, it also happens to shatter like glass, yet is incredibly strong structurally, and can support thousands of times its own weight. Theoretically, a block weighing less than a pound could support a weight of half a ton.
Due to its microstructure, Aerogel is a powerful desiccant, rapidly absorbing any moisture in your fingertips when held. This usually leaves some dry spots on the skin that disappear in a short time.
Aerogel's true strength is its incredible insulating properties. It negates just about any kind of
energy transfer - thermal, electrical or acoustic.
A one-inch thick Aerogel window has the same insulation value as 15 panes of glass and trapped air - which means a conventional window would have to be ten-inches thick to equal a one-inch thick Aerogel window.

Aerogel's density is just 3 milligrams per cubic centimeter.
Its melting point is 2,200 degrees F (1,200 degrees C).

Whoa, I want some. That's crazy.

**Rooz** · 02-20-2006, 09:51 AM

Man... wonder who came up with this

witeshark · 02-20-2006, 09:56 AM

That rules!

**Phat Ham** · 02-20-2006, 10:15 AM

My brother worked at an aerogel research lab when he was in college. Said it was some pretty cool stuff.

**///MDreain** · 02-20-2006, 10:31 AM

thats kinda neat! So when are they gonna put this stuff in cars?

**Cellardoor** · 02-20-2006, 10:53 AM

lol fuck cars think about that stuff in houses for insulation! u would have to open windows in the winter even with no heat on!

-Hutch-

**jms** · 02-20-2006, 12:47 PM

actually they used it to catch comet particles in the nasa stardust project http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/tech/aerogel.html it does kick ass, but I'm sure it is expensive as hell. here is something else that is cool, almost related. http://optics.org/articles/news/10/3/10/1

DEATH2000 · 02-20-2006, 04:00 PM

dude thats crazy. that stuff is awesome

**RealBmw 02** · 02-20-2006, 08:04 PM

I would love some of that stuff in my house for insulation. Talk about low heating/cooling costs.

**Torque** · 02-20-2006, 08:06 PM

Someone needs to build a car out of that. Carbon fiber? Fuck that ... Imagine a Pagani Zonda made out of that.

**jms** · 02-21-2006, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torque

Someone needs to build a car out of that. Carbon fiber? Fuck that ... Imagine a Pagani Zonda made out of that.

it shatters like glass. a stone gets thrown up and your car falls apart at speed.

**01Mike330i** · 02-21-2006, 08:23 AM

OK...totally awesome stuff, but what truly amazes me is that someone can invent something like this...but we can't eliminate/reduce our dependenecy on fossil fuels, or cure cancer, or AIDS...or hell, even the common cold.

**c1apton** · 02-21-2006, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 99mike323i

OK...totally awesome stuff, but what truly amazes me is that someone can invent something like this...but we can't eliminate/reduce our dependenecy on fossil fuels, or cure cancer, or AIDS...or hell, even the common cold.

This will make you question it even more... this stuff was invented in the 1930's. And it's been in use for high end refrigerators & coolers. Sounds like someone has a patent on it and was asking "blue sky $" for the rights to it. I agree with you there's too many band aids/treatments but not enough cures.

**jms** · 02-21-2006, 09:17 AM

that seems to happen with everything. SATA was invented in 1986. 1986?, yes 1986 but we couldn't afford it until about 4 years ago. I blame patent law. I mean sure people have a right to make a living off their hard work and creative ideas. But people are putting patents to the most stupid things. A round dial, with groves on the side. Now if you use a round dial with groves on the side you have infringed my patent and must pay me millions of dollars because I put groves on the side. there needs to be some standard at which you say something is patent worthy. If you make a very minor change to an already existing patent you don't get another 7 years.

I'm sorry I'm about to rant so i'll shut up now.

**Torque** · 02-21-2006, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jms

it shatters like glass. a stone gets thrown up and your car falls apart at speed.

Well, I didn't mean just it; more like lacing it with some other material ... im sure they'll find a way to make it non-brakeable.