Aerogels are a class of extremely porous solid materials that exhibit an array of unusual properties including extremely low density, high surface area, high electrical conductivity and highly insulating properties. The lowest density solid materials that have ever been produced have all been aerogels. Aerogels can be made from a range of different materials including carbon, metal oxides and gelatin, but the term aerogel is often used to refer to more famous cousin of this sample: the eerily blue silica aerogel that we also have in our collection.
This black and friable sample, however, is a carbon aerogel. Carbon aerogel is a derivative or secondary aerogel, meaning that it is made by processing an already existing aerogel. Carbon aerogel is an organic aerogel (e.g. one made from resorcinol-formaldehyde) that has undergone pyrolysis. Pyrolysis is an irreversible process of dehydration or thermal decomposition in an inert atmosphere (usually nitrogen or argon). If this were done in air, the polymer would simply burn. The process involves high temperatures of 400°C to 1100°C over 1 to 12 hours, during which non-carbon matter is expelled. The result is a black carbon aerogel that has a consistency similar to that of activated charcoal. It is also highly porous with a high surface area and electrical conductivity.
Common uses of carbon aerogel focus around energy storage. It is currently used as an electrode within super-capacitors because it can store a large amount of charge and rapidly release stored energy. In the future, carbon aerogel could replace current lithium ion batteries, as it can charge and discharge more quickly.
Check out our Insta video of this floaty wonder in action here.
Sample ID: 1317
Particularities
- Donated by
- Dr Adam Clancy
- Selections
- Superlative Materials
- Categories
- Polymer
- Curiosities
- Relationships
- Aerogel | Battery | Conductive | Energy Storage | Foam | Insulating | Light Weight | Low Density | Porous | Pyrolysis | Supercapacitor | Supercritical Drying | Surface Area
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