I do (and I'm old!). And for those who don't, here's a clue:
Still stumped? OK see youtube...
Posted on 08/19/2007 11:59:34 AM PDT by marvlus
A MIRACLE material for the 21st century could protect your home against bomb blasts, mop up oil spillages and even help man to fly to Mars.
Aerogel, one of the world’s lightest solids, can withstand a direct blast of 1kg of dynamite and protect against heat from a blowtorch at more than 1,300C.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Where can I invest?
I question this claim. A direct blast being how far away? Why 6mm? Why not 4mm or 12mm?
I think most of the residential heat pump thermostats have a one degree hysteresis trigger, but I’m not positive. But my two do.
I do (and I'm old!). And for those who don't, here's a clue:
Still stumped? OK see youtube...
“Due to its microstructure, Aerogel is a powerful desiccant, rapidly absorbing any moisture in your fingertips when held. This usually leaves some dry spots on the skin that disappear in a short time.”
Just copied this from that scientific materials website...
since this is one of its properties, a way to reliably keep it separate from water will need to be developed before it can be used as a building insulation...or as a window for that matter...
Wonder why they don’t use it as the replacement for the space shuttle tiles that are always damaged on takeoff?
FR is a vast ocean of knowledge.
There are means of engineering aerogels that repel water, and that’s necessary for many uses. Hydrophilic aerogels tend to break down.
More expensive, less durable. I'd guess -- though it's jsut a guess -- that aerogel would be more vulnerable to foam and ice strikes on launch, and if weakened, more likely to break under the pressures of re-entry.
On the other hand, a layer of aerogel insulation between the tiles and the metal structure could work like a charm -- but that's for the next generation of spacecraft, not something you want to pursue as a years-long retrofit for a fleet only a couple of years from retirement.
We are SO under it! We are pretty much due east of Santa Barbara. It’s burning towards the south; but we’re still getting it! It’s coming over the low mountains between us and staying here!
This evening’s not bad. The sky’s just dirty; but it has been surreal on other evenings. On other nights it has even cast a yellow pall all over the kitchen through the sliding glass door—making the floor look absolutely yellow.
Yesterday was probably the worst—probably closely matched by a couple of other days. You got to see the real show!
Aerogels are made from either silica, alumina, tin oxide, or some other substance. It's fine as long as it's in one piece -- but you do NOT want to get dust from broken-up aerogel into your lungs. Think asbestos.
My point was simply that, when you have drafts, the parts of the room where people are likely to be are often colder than the place where the thermostat is attached.
The thermostat can be doing its job & shutting the heat off when it senses “room temperature” has been achieved. However, if you’re sitting in a draft, the air’s still too cold. You might need to set your thermostat to 75 or 80 to get warm. The air will be 75 or 80 at the thermostat — but, just “room temperature” in the draft.
LOL!!!
Love that episode.
Wow,I did not know this was planned for just 10 1/2 years from now.
Did you know that we're returning to the configuration of a capsule on top of a rocket for the upcoming return to the moon? (And I assume to Mars as well.)
As for AeroGel, I saw some demo footage of this stuff on TV a couple years ago. AMAZING. They covered a vertical wall with it and did all manner of nasty stuff to it. I enjoyed the flame thrower. It doesn't even scorch. Doesn't do anything.
MM (in TX)
Oh c'mon,I'll have to check this one out.
Seems that if not protected from the atmosphere, a piece of aerogel will eventually absorb enough minute particles that it clogs up.
There ya go. I was waiting for that suggestion. They desperately need some lightweight tough skin for the space vehicles.
That’s amazing and I can see it working in every application discussed in the article except one.
I don’t understand how it’s properties help in withstanding an explosion.
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