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Nanotube Aerogel

Samuel S. Kistler, in 1931, managed to make a wonderful substance, as a result of a bet with a friend, called Aerogel.

Aerogel is a substance composed of two phases, which usually is called colloid. But while in a colloid "normal" is a liquid phase and a solid (small particles suspended in the liquid), the Aerogel the liquid component has been replaced by gas. As a result, this substance has properties that make it unique.

His condition is solid, and its density is very low, weighing only about 3 milligrams per cubic centimeter. Of course, this is due to its high porosity, which gives it remarkable properties when used as thermal or acoustic insulation. It has a refractive index of 1, very low for a solid.

But what stands out the Aerogel is their light weight. In the final analysis, consists of up to 99.8% air, giving it a density a thousand times smaller than that of glass, and is only about three times denser than air. In some areas it is called "frozen smoke" or "solid smoke" because of its semi-transparent appearance. To the touch, has a consistency similar to plastic foam. Despite its ghostly appearance, has a very high mechanical strength, can support more than 1000 times its own weight.

currently can produce different types of aerogels, using as silica, alumina, chromium oxide, tin or carbon. Industrial use is more widespread use as a thermal insulator in the windows of buildings to prevent loss of heat (or cold).

But engineers are beginning to realize much more interesting experiments with this material. Its low weight and ability to function as a thermal insulator makes it suitable for the construction of aerial structures, which allow these floating in the air indefinitely. For example, a geodesic dome built with Aerogel would be so slight that the difference in temperature between the air inside with the outside enough to make it float. This would reduce the total weight of the structure (and cost), it does not require support beams.

Translucent Aerogel not allow the escape of heat but the entry of solar radiation, as does a glass, which allows indefinite float while the Sun give the dome height can be varied simply by increasing the temperature differential inside / outside .

Source: NAVA JAVIER GUTIERREZ