Saturday, March 16, 2013

Chloe Oetting: What are Aerogels?


Space exploration applications of aerogels. Dr. Steven Jones. Kellas 106, Thursday 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Space Exploration and Applications of Aerogels by Chloe Oetting

“Solid smoke” – that’s not only an oxymoron, but also a fair description of aerogels (“Aerogels”). Aerogels are the topic being discussed in April at a presentation by Steven Jones. Steven Jones will be giving a presentation on Space Exploration and Application of Aerogels, solid silica aerogel to be specific.

Just one reason to attend this seminar is the question that many of us are asking: what exactly are aerogels? I can only give so much insight as to what they are, but even with a little information Aerogels can be very interesting. For those interested in this topic, a presentation might be easier to comprehend than what you might find in the library on your own. The majority of the articles available on this topic were so complex and scientifically in depth that it became tough to comprehend aerogels’ practical applications. Attending the seminar will surely give the people that attend a reasonable basis of knowledge on aerogels without much struggle, as compared to independent research.

Aerogels certainly sound fascinating, but what properties do they hold? One of the uses of aerogels is its ability to be used as insulation. Aerogels can’t be found in houses just yet, but can be found in space exploration projects such as the Mars Rover, in which aerogels are used for insulation, protecting equipment from the severe cold of space. Another use of the aerogel in space exploration is to trap materials traveling through space known as “cosmic bullets.” There’s a dust collector attached to a spacecraft that does this. After this process is done, the sample may be analyzed when it returns to Earth.

As for the composition of aerogels, they are 99.8% air. It has an immensely low density, so it is a very light material, which makes it incredibly easy and low cost to send this material into space. Its ability to be formed into sheets, beads, or fibers ever expands its possible applications. Even when formed into other shapes of different surface area, the aerogel still retains its integrity as far as its semitransparency, strength, and stability. However, unlike a gel, this material is actually quite brittle. An example of how heat resistant aerogels are can be seen in pictures at this webpage: http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/photo/aerogel.html.
The pictures show a flower, crayons, and a box of matches on top of a sheet of aerogel, with a flame underneath it. None of the materials that sat atop the aerogel wilted, melted or caught fire. Visual aids often provide a great process of learning, yet another reason to attend Steven Jones’ lecture. Another picture shows a brick which is placed on top a sheet of aerogel that weighs only 2 grams and can be seen intact even under the weight of the brick.

Aerogels will probably one day have a vast impact on our lives and the environment. Since aerogels can be used as an insulator it may one day be used to insulate our homes. It would be very cost effective. The uses for aerogels seem endless. Since business today thrives on technology, and technology is ever changing, it is a logical choice to learn about upcoming applications of new technological breakthroughs.

The presentation can’t come soon enough. There are a lot of intriguing things about this topic that people should be eager to learn more about. Some questions to ask are, is how long did it take to develop these aerogels? Was its development accidental or through much research and study? When will the public see the use of aerogels for common applications? What other uses does aerogel have in space exploration? What does the future hold for aerogels? Hopefully everyone has these same questions along with others and will attend the presentation to discover their answers.

Works Cited

"Aerogels." Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

Aerogel.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013

"Aerogel Photos." Stardust NASA's Comet Sample Return Mission. NASA. U.S. Government, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

"Preventing Heat Escape Through Insulation Called ‘Aerogel’." Mars Exploration Rover Mission. NASA. USA Government, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.



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