
GDMS Webinar
In the full webinar we will focus on full survey chemical analysis using solid sampling high resolution GDMS.
Home » The Versatility and Usefulness of Aerogels
Thermal resistance and its complement, thermal conductance, are fundamental concepts in thermodynamics, thermal engineering, and heat transfer. They describe the ability of a material to insulate (resistance) or transfer (conductance) heat. Thermal resistivity is important in industries like aerospace, automotive, building &
construction, biomedical applications, and energy storage, among others. At one end of the spectrum of thermal properties are metals which typically exhibit high conductance and low resistance, for example, a copper coil immersion chiller used to transfer heat out of a liquid. At the other end of the spectrum are thermal insulators like fiberglass and polyurethane foam. There are, however, more exotic materials that exhibit more extreme properties. Diamond and boron arsenide are both much more conductive than the most conductive metal – silver. Silica aerogel is about 33% less conductive than
expanded polyurethane foam (The Engineering ToolBox). Aside from being exceptional insulators, aerogels have other fascinating properties that make them well-suited for unique applications.
Due to their unusual features, aerogels can be used for biomedical, acoustic, food packaging, electrochemical energy storage, thermal insulation, environmental, water treatment, catalysis, and aerospace applications. For biomedical and pharmaceutical applications specifically, aerogels can be used for diagnostic instruments, implantable devices, biosensing, wound repair, regenerative medicine, and delivery of medications. In astronautical applications, aerogels have a variety of uses including thermal insulation, high-velocity particle capture (e.g, cosmic dust collection), cryogenic fluid containment, fire retardation, acoustics, thermal barriers, etc. (Nazia Rodoshi Khan, 2024).
A research group from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences recently developed aerogel materials with higher temperature resistance, strength, and insulation performance. Aerogels are traditionally made with SiO2, but in this group’s study, researchers introduced small amounts of ZrO2 crystalline phase to one-dimensional SiO2 fibers (Liu Cui, 2024), which increased their temperature resistance. Additionally, they investigated the potential use of biomass aerogels for eco-friendly building insulation materials, developing sodium alginate aerogels that were able to support 2600 times their own weight and possessed flame retardancy and self-extinguishing properties. This recent research has helped provide solutions for efficient heat insulation.
The characterization of synthesized aerogels typically emphasizes structural and materials properties rather than elemental or molecular composition. EAG is well-equipped to undertake Surface Area (Brunauer, Emmett and Teller equation) and Pore Size Determination (Barrett, Joyner, Halenda or Density Functional Theory methods) measurements of aerogels. For aerogels that are being deployed for purposes such as capturing high-velocity particles in a spacecraft or carrying calcium, zinc and silver cations for wound care, mapping the distribution of chemical composition is an important application. Scanning Electron Microscopy – Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy and Laser Ablation – Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry are both spatially resolved elemental chemistry techniques well-suited to mapping aerogels. Bulk compositional analysis of aerogels, such as before and after testing of aerogels used to harvest uranium from sea water, can be accomplished using Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectroscopy or Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry. EAG scientists and engineers are ready to work with you to develop application-specific protocols to meet your aerogel needs.
In the full webinar we will focus on full survey chemical analysis using solid sampling high resolution GDMS.
GC-MS can help with failure analysis or contamination characterization analysis on 3D printed parts. Utilizing a variety of different sampling techniques, GC-MS is a versatile tool that can identify specific species of volatile organic compounds.
In this webinar we introduce how a 3rd Party Analytical Lab Can Help Support Your Company’s Compliance with EU’s MDR
Explore how EAG Laboratories’ metallurgists uncover the root cause of failures and support litigation with clear, science-based testimony.
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