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Name: Silica Aerogel
Database: NASA Ames Thermal Protection Materials
Category: Nano-Materials
Composition: Silicon, Oxygen
Manufacturer: Ocellus, Nanopore, Aspen Systems, Cabot
Technical Readiness Level: 3
Last Modified: 2001-10-01

Description:

• Aerogels are gels in which the liquid phase has been replaced by gas, leaving a highly porous materials with a submicron framework. Aerogels are porous materials with the lowest possible weight and conductivity for a solid. (Minimum: less than 5 X air density, 2% solid material conductivity, 1% solid phase) Aerogels are typically fragile, but show tremendous potential as low-density, high-temperature insulation. Silica aerogels, made of the same components as glass and sand, are also known as "Solid Smoke". The refractive index of slica aerogels ranges from 1.002 - 1.160 The surface area of silica aerogels ranges from 580-1160 square meters per gram.

Point of Contact:

• Susan White
• NASA Ames Research Center
• swhite@mail.arc.nasa.gov