Aerogel Development

Aerogel is one of the most promising materials of the future. It's unique properties, including high porosity, transparency, very high thermal tolerance, and environmental friendliness give it the potential of replacing many different products used in society today. However, the market for aerogel is still very limited because of the cost of producing the material and its fragility. The principle objective of my project has been to find new ways to apply aerogel in order to increase its practicality and appeal to different aspects of society. More specifically, I have focused on finding different chemicals that will coat aerogel and increase its durability. Because aerogel is so fragile and will crumble under the pressure of most coatings this has been no easy task. However, by experimenting with many different coatings and combinations of aerogel properties, I have made several significant discoveries. Aerogel (ideally, high density and hydrophobic) can be coated with several acrylic polymers, including artist's gel and nail polish. These materials provide a protective layering around the aerogel and keep it from breaking as easily. Because fragility is one of the main reasons applications of aerogel are limited, these discoveries will hopefully aid in finding future applications for this extraordinary material.