Looking for a reliable source of Aerogel

[Majorana]

TL;DR

Aerogel ("frozen smoke" appearance) strongly needed!

Hello!
I need to find a reliable (I mean serious) manufacturer of Aerogel, that can provide cylindrical bars of the material (the "frozen smoke", lightest type, not the heavy insulating mats used in buildings). Aerogel Technologies doesn't answer to any inquiry or phone call, so they are ruled out from the start.
Any idea?...

 

[berkeman]

You probably have already done this, but I did a Google search on Aerogel cylinders, and the AI summary did list a couple of sources:

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=Aerogel+cylinders

Sourcing: Available from specialized manufacturers like BuyAerogel.com and Aerogel Technologies

Have you tried BuyAerogel.com? Also, you can click on the "Shopping" tab at the top of the search page to see other potential suppliers.

 

[DaveC426913]

It says density is .095g/cm³.

That means a one cubic metre of it (the size of a dishwasher) would mass 95kg. i.e. as much as a large, heavy human. I checked the numbers twice.

Have I misplaced a decimal somewhere?

 

[Baluncore]

Correct.
0.095 g/cm³ = 95.0 g/litre = 95.0 kg/m³.

 

[DaveC426913]

Correct.
0.095 g/cm³ = 95.0 g/litre = 95.0 kg/m³.

Yeah. Huh I thought this stuff was light as air. A three foot cube that's too heavy to lift doesnt seem remarkably light.

Even styrofoam is half that density.

TIL

 

[Baluncore]

0.095 g/cm³ is perhaps a typo, that should read 0.0095 lbs/ft³.
0.0095 lbs/ft³= 0.152 kg/m³ = 152.2 g/m³.

The lowest density solid foam known is aerographene (graphene aerogel), which has a density of approximately 0.16 kg/m³ (160 g/m³). Aerographene is 7.5 times less dense than air.

Other Ultra-Light Foams: Silica aerogels are also extremely light, often described as 99.8% air, with densities that can be lower than air itself.

Commercial Foams: In more common industrial applications, Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam can go as low as 13.5 kg/m³.
13 to 35 kg/m³ for insulation and packaging.
24 to 35 kg/m³ for construction grade Styrofoam.

 

[DaveC426913]

Thank you. Thought my world was a lie.

Aerographene is 7.5 times less dense than air.

Shouldn't it float?

Oh. No. Because it isnt filled with vacuum. Duh.

 

[Majorana]

You probably have already done this, but I did a Google search on Aerogel cylinders, and the AI summary did list a couple of sources:

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=Aerogel+cylinders

Have you tried BuyAerogel.com? Also, you can click on the "Shopping" tab at the top of the search page to see other potential suppliers.

Hello Berkeman, BuyAerogel is actually Aerogel Technologies, so nothing new from there... thank you anyway! :0)