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Aerogel

Helmschmied

21:41 / 01.08.03

I don't really know what to say about this stuff. It's pretty darn neat. Has anyone seen this stuff before? Are there any practical applications for it besides collecting comet dust?

http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/tech/aerogel.html

Helmschmied

21:45 / 01.08.03

ooops....guess I should have read more before I posted.

"Some initial applications have included atomic particle detectors, super insulation for aerospace applications, it were used to insulate the Mars rover and now is being used in the NASA Star Dust Mission. "

We're The Great Old Ones Now

09:09 / 02.08.03

Do check out the photo gallery. Nothing in the article really brought home to me how fundamentally weird and wonderful this stuff is in the way that did.

A block of the stuff.

Supporting a brick.

Am I being an idiot? Is this some kind of JPL funny?

Salamander

21:15 / 02.08.03

Thats one of the most amazing materials I've ever seen, if it isn't a JPL funny that is.

We're The Great Old Ones Now

10:43 / 04.08.03

It seems not to be. It's all over the net, so if it's a put-on, it's one of the most far-ranging I've ever seen. And so much of the stuff written about it is really boring.

No, I think it's real.

Wow.

Quantum

11:03 / 04.08.03

Wow! it does funny things to your eyes...

20:12 / 04.08.03

I heard of this stuff years ago. Really. Like in seventh grade. Apparently it looks blue on a dark surface, but yellowish if you shine a light behind it, something like the refracting properties of the atmosphere. I wish it were as light and soft as it looks; then it would make a really interesting new kind of mattress.

All houses in Florida should be insulated with the stuff, for sure. Hurricane protection, more strength, translucency when you need it, and best of all, lower cooling bills!

Cloned Christ on a HoverDonkey

00:44 / 05.08.03

I'm sure I've heard somewhere that it's the only solid that can be manufactured so as to be lighter than air. This is what really amazes me; imagine a block of something that you can see floating upwards once you let go of it.

Joycore, or what?

Perfect Tommy

02:31 / 05.08.03

According to the article, it can't be lighter than air because it's mostly made of air.

Quantum

08:04 / 05.08.03

You could use it to make hot air balloon baskets, or excellent boats, or the coolest surfboard on the beach...

Less searchable M0rd4nt

15:11 / 05.08.03

I had heard of this before, or something very much like it. Don't recall seeing any pictures till now.

No useful comments; I just want some. I want a suit of armour made of aerogel, but even a little bit would be nice. Would they sell samples, do you think?

Helmschmied

15:18 / 05.08.03

Actually....do a search on ebay. There's a guy selling samples right now. Kinda pricey but apparantly it costs about $200 per cubic inch to manufacture. I'd still like a chunk though....just to see if it actually looks that cool close up.

Wombat

16:32 / 06.08.03

It could be lighter than air.
If you filled it with helium.
Or a safe store for hydrogen that actually made you vehicle lighter.

diz

22:34 / 08.08.03

Sorry, this isn't diz, this is his gf (he left himself signed on), but I wanted to tell Mordant C@rnival loves what you've done with your *hair* that I found it for sale here http://www.mkt-intl.com/aerogels/aerogel_order.html

Ha, because "I have to have some of this stuff" was the first thing I said after hearing about it.

(but now I want robochrist from "the passions" so maybe I'll consolidate my "funds for silly useless but very cool things" and save up)

■

21:20 / 14.08.03

It can't possibly be real, can it? Nahhhhhhh.
Please, someone, prove me wrong, it's too damn cool to be a hoax....

NotBlue

18:58 / 15.08.03

It has to be true, "they" had it on the last series of a BBC science programme called Eureka, fronted by ttwo "cute, MTA" types, they had a bunsen burner on blue, a layer of aerogel, and a hand, --> no burnys!!!!!!!. Also, withstands -273 degrees centigrade, which they neglected to mention is "ABSOLUTE" zero.

(Admit it, that deserves capitals.)

h3r

15:52 / 18.08.03

wow i am seriously considering to order some....
has anybody else got some yet?
it is quite pricey considering that I dont really have a use for it...
....besides making some pretty art for my house

JM21760

23:55 / 17.04.04

This stuff was invented at the Lawrence Livermore Nat'l Labaratory in California. My Dad used to work there. I'm hoping to be able to see some next time I'm in the SFO Bay Area. And yes, it's real! Bizzare, but true.

JM21760

00:10 / 18.04.04

Sorry, actually it was refined at LLNL: http://eande.lbl.gov/ECS/aerogels/sahist.htm

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