Aerogels Look Promising For Light-weight Insulation
Aerogels Look Promising For Light-weight Insulation Light-weight, high-performance is king in aerospace and aviation applications. And just as composites and metals like titanium are replacing heavier materials in structures, aerogels may increasingly replace foam and fiber for insulation, according to Shejal Jamdade, senior research analyst for Transparency Market Research (TMR). TMR projects that total aerogel use will grow 15% annually to reach more than $1 billion by 2023, and transportation, including aircraft, will be the fastest-growing market. Silica, metal-oxide, carbon, polymer and other aerogels are exceptionally light-weight insulating materials with low density, porous structure, and lower thermal conductivity than most conventional insulation. They contain more than 95% air and other particles suspended in a three-dimensional structure. Invented in 1931, aerogels were used on the 2003 missions that carried the rovers Spirit and Opportunity to Mars and have since