I was conducting some research on various materials, and was blown away by this particular material: aerogels. Aerogels are ultralight, porous materials made by removing the liquid from a gel and replacing it with gas/air without collapsing the gel’s solid structure. NASA described it best saying, “Picture preparing a bowl full of a sweet, gelatin dessert. The gelatin powder is mixed with hot water, and then the mixture is cooled in a refrigerator until it sets. It is now a gel. If that wiggly gel were placed in an oven and all of the moisture dried out of it, all that would be left would be a pile of powder. But imagine if the dried gelatin maintained its shape, even after the liquid had been removed. The structure of the gel would remain, but it would be extremely light due to low density. This is precisely how aerogels are made” (NASA).

Aerogels are some of the lightest solids known to mankind. Aerogels are formed by combining a polymer with a solvent to create a gel, then carefully removing the liquid and replacing it with air. The result is an extremely porous, low-density solid that feels firm to the touch. They are often referred to by the nickname “frozen smoke” coming from aerogels’ ghostly appearance and weightless feel. Despite looking fragile, they can support over a thousand times their weight. This translucent material is among the most effective thermal insulators known. These were first invented in the 1930s, however NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland has invented groundbreaking methods of creating new types of aerogels. NASA has taken aerogels further than anyone imagined, discovering endless possibilities for this incredible material.

References

NASA. “Aerogels: Thinner, Lighter, Stronger – NASA.” NASA, NASA, 28 July 2011, www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/aerogels-thinner-lighter-stronger/.