What is the magic of aerogels?
The magic of aerogels is mainly in their unique physical and chemical properties.
What is aerogel?
Aerogel is a lightweight solid material with a nanoporous network structure, with a very high void fraction (up to 99.8%) and a very low density (as low as 3mg/cm³). This gives aerogels excellent thermal and fire insulation properties, effectively preventing heat transfer and thus maintaining stability in a variety of environments. This property makes aerogel have a wide range of application prospects in the fields of aviation, aerospace, defense military industry, etc. It can be used as a heat-insulating material to improve the energy efficiency and safety of equipment.
The magic of aerogels lies in their unique and highly integrated set of physicochemical properties, which have revolutionized their potential in many applications. Here are some of the most notable amazing features of aerogels:
The amazing features of aerogels:
- Ultra-light mass:
– Aerogels have an extremely low density and are lighter than air, making them one of the lightest solid materials known. This ultra-light characteristic gives aerogel an unrivaled advantage in weight-sensitive applications such as aerospace, drones, and portable devices.
- Excellent thermal insulation properties:
– Aerogel has an extremely low thermal conductivity, which can be 0.012 W/(m-K) or lower, far lower than other traditional insulation materials. This makes the same thickness of aerogel provide thermal insulation effect far more than conventional materials, effectively reducing heat transfer, suitable for a variety of occasions that require efficient thermal insulation or heat insulation, such as building insulation, pipeline thermal insulation, and spacecraft thermal protection.
- High porosity and huge specific surface area:
– The porosity of aerogel is usually up to 99% or more, and the specific surface area can be more than thousands of square meters per gram. This unique microstructure gives it a strong adsorption ability, and the capture efficiency of gas, liquid, and even tiny particles is very high, which is suitable for air purification, gas separation, catalyst carrier, energy storage equipment, and other fields.
- High-temperature resistance and fire resistance:
– Aerogel is able to withstand extremely high working temperatures (e.g., up to 1400 degrees or even higher) while maintaining good structural stability at high temperatures. This heat resistance, combined with its thermal insulation properties, makes it an ideal high-temperature insulation material. Some aerogels also exhibit good flame retardancy and self-extinguishing properties, improving safety in use.
- Good acoustic properties:
– Aerogel has excellent acoustic absorption and sound insulation effects, which can effectively absorb and attenuate sound waves and reduce noise propagation, making it suitable for quiet equipment, building sound insulation, noise control, and other applications.
- Versatility and customizability:
– Aerogel can be optimized and customized for specific properties (e.g., mechanical strength, conductivity, optical transparency, chemical stability, etc.) by adjusting the raw materials, preparation methods, and post-treatment processes to meet the specific needs of different fields. For example, transparent optical aerogels, conductive carbon-based aerogels, acid- and alkali-resistant ceramic aerogels, etc., can be prepared.
- Environmentally friendly and sustainable:
– Many types of aerogels are made from non-toxic or low-toxicity raw materials, produce little waste during production, and some of the aerogels can be recycled. In addition, its application in building energy saving and pollution control helps to reduce energy consumption and environmental pollution, which is in line with the concept of green building and sustainable development.
Aerogel demonstrates its power as a high-performance material with its ultra-lightweight, excellent thermal insulation, surprisingly high strength, extremely high heat resistance, and other special physical properties. These properties make aerogel have a wide range of potential applications and practical application cases in many high-tech fields, including but not limited to aerospace, new energy vehicles, building energy efficiency, environmental protection, electronic equipment, military equipment, etc. Aerogel is able to realize performance in a wide range of fields that are hard to reach with traditional materials and is rightly called “the miracle material that changes the world.”
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