Aerogel

AEROGEL
In a path-breaking innovation that could have implications in the fields of defence, spae research and electronics, Dr. Sulabha Kulkarni, a professor along with her student, Ms. Supriya Pandhe from the University of Pune's (UoP) Department of Physics has developed an Ultra lightweight aerogel material that can support nearly five lakh time its own weight. The material uses carbon nano tubes(CNTs) and silica. The invention could set a world record, as it is stronger than the material prepared by a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania in February 2007, which could support only 8,000 times its body weight, The invention is a 'quantun leap' in the field of aerogels and has the potential to revolutionise waide-raging applications in space, defence autoobiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals and several other fields.
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has funded Rs.3 crore for period of five years to facilitate research on aerogels at the UoP in collaboratin withthe Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi. Prof O.ON. Srivastava and his team at the BHU synthesized the CNT, while the aerogel using the CNT was developed by Pune University scientists. Dr. Kulkarni has been working on this project for over six years.
According to Dr. Kulkarni, applications of aerogelsare as wide as in light-weight jackets for armed forces personnel and bridges in defence use, soundproof rooms, heat retaining houses, foundries, packaging and electronic sensors. Called 'Aerogel UoP', the product will now be patented in India s well as internationally, Dr. Kularni has received Material Research Society of India (MRI) Medal for the year 2005, for her work on aerogels.
Dr. Steven Kistler first created aerogel in 1931. The created aerogel in 1931. The first results were silica gels. Aerogel an be made of many different materials; Kistlers' work involved aerogels based mainly on Silica. Carbon aerogels were first developed in the early 1990s.
Aerogel is low-density solid-state material derived from gel in which the liquid component of the gel has been replaced with gas. The result is an extremely low density solid with several remarkable properties, most notably its effectiveness as an insulator. It is nicknamed frozen smae, solid smoke due to its semi-transparent nature and the way light scatters in the material; however, it feels like polystyrene (styrofoam) to the touch
The first aerogel was 99.8 percent air and was stiff foam make from silicon dioxide and sand. Its density was just 32 mg per cubic centimeter; its melting point was 1,200 degrees Celsius. Today, they are much lighter as well as stronger.