AEROGEL

WHAT IS AN GEL?

• A gel is a solid jelly-like soft material

• By weight most of the gels are liquids but behave as solids
• The structure constitutes a three dimensional crossed linked
networks network .
 CONTENTS

 INTRODUCTION
 TYPES OF AEROGEL
 SYNTHESIS OF AEROGEL
 PROPERTIES OF AEROGEL
 APPLICATIONS OF AEROGEL
 INTRODUCTION

Created by SAMUEL STEPHENS

KISTLER
Nano structured open pores solids.
Solid with lowest known density.
Made via sol gel technology.
95-99% air but Stands upto 2000
times greater load then its
own weight.
 SYNTHESIS OF AROGEL

STEPS IN SOL GEL PROCESSING

 Mixing of chemicals
 Gelation
 Drying
 Final product
 TYPES OF AEROGELS

• SILICA :the most common type used in practical applications.

smoky blue in colour
• CARBON : black in colour ,high surface area ,high conductivity
Silica aerogel
• METAL OXIDES: made from metal oxides ,used as catalyst for chemical transformations.

Carbon aerogel Iron oxide

 PROPERTIES

Light weight low density High strenth Low temperature

coffecient
 PROPERTIES

Light ,thin, ability to form layers

Capable of stopping very high speed bullets
 PROPERTIES

 Variable refractive index

 Flexibility
 No reaction with metallic melts upto 950˚c
 High Fracture strength.
 Low sound absorption ,low sound velocity.
 Very high insulation properties.
 APPLICATIONS

HOME BUILDING AND INSULATION

 Aerosal panels in buildings provide insulation and illumination.
 Aerogel concrete is a composite made from " hydrophobic aerogel granulate and "
inorganic binder/matrix.
 INDUSTRIAL AREAS OFAPPLICATIONS

 THERMAL INSULATION such as vehicles, pipelines, packaging.

 ELECTRONIC components such as capacitors, humidity sensors, batteries, fuel cell, soft
magnets.
 APPAREL & SPORTSWARE in tennis rackets, security shoes ,sport shoes.
 SPACE APPLICATIONS such as space suits, anti-sloshing in tanks ,cryogenic tank
insulation
 IN COSMETICS Aerogel granulates are used.
INDUSTRY APPLICATION
 STAR DUST COLLECTOR

 NASA uses aerogels in the device that contains dust samples.

 The aerogel aboard the stardust spacecraft is fitted into a "tennis racket" shaped
collector. 
 DISADVANTAGE

 HANDLING AEROGEL FOR EXTENDED PERIOD GIVES DRY BRITTLE SPOTS ON SKIN.
 MECHANICAL IRRITANT TO EYES ,SKIN ,RESPIRATORY TRACT.
CONCLUSION
 REFERENCES

• HTTPS://WWW.NASA.GOV/TOPICS/TECHNOLOGY/FEATURES/AEROGELS.HTML
• HTTPS://STARDUST.JPL.NASA.GOV/TECH/AEROGEL.HTML
• HTTPS://ELIB.DLR.DE/72455/1/AEROGEL-APPLICATIONS-2011_K.PDF