OT: Scientists hail ‘frozen smoke’ as material that will change world - New England Patriots Forums

***Patters*** · 08-19-2007, 07:37 PM

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle2284349.ece

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.

Scientists are working to discover new applications for the substance, ranging from the next generation of tennis rackets to super-insulated space suits for a manned mission to Mars.

It is expected to rank alongside wonder products from previous generations such as Bakelite in the 1930s, carbon fibre in the 1980s and silicone in the 1990s. Mercouri Kanatzidis, a chemistry professor at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, said: “It is an amazing material. It has the lowest density of any product known to man, yet at the same time it can do so much. I can see aerogel being used for everything from filtering polluted water to insulating against extreme temperatures and even for jewellery.”

ArmyPatsFan · 08-19-2007, 07:51 PM

Wow.....huge military applications for this....seems like it would be very lightweight which could possibly alleviate the multitude of logisitics problems that come with the weight of both personal and vehicular protection. Interesting stuff

***maverick4*** · 08-20-2007, 12:03 AM

I read this, it is amazing stuff.
It is 99% vapor yet strong enough to withstand extreme heat and pressure, and also super absorbable.

So many applications...

***DarrylS*** · 08-20-2007, 05:17 AM

Popular Mechanics should have some stuff on this soon.. wonder if it has implications for the auto industry, i.e. lighten the load, increase fuel economy.. hope we don't in the haste of production give the technology to china.. the US needs something like this.