Manufacturers of all types are always looking for that next great breakthrough. Think: Gortex, Teflon and that famous exchange from The Graduate:

Mr. McGuire: I want to say one word to you. Just one word.
Benjamin: Yes, sir.
Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?
Benjamin: Yes, I am.
Mr. McGuire: Plastics.

Now another breakthrough is hitting the consumer outdoor products market based on a man-made material called aerogel. It is lighter than air in its pure form, warmer than down, can be compressed, is breathable and is virtually unbreakable. It keeps hots things hot and cold things cold – How does it do it?

Aerogel

There seems to be no simple or short answer to what is an aerogel. Most text describe a manufacturing process where liquids are replaced with air involving a polymerization process. Being simple,  I like to think of aerogel as a tiny, as in microscopic, layer of bubble wrap; which I am sure makes scientists and engineers cringe.

First mentioned in a paper published in the journal, Nature, in 1931, scientist recognized an opportunity to improve insulation material. Monsanto initially used it in napalm and cigarettes in the 1940’s but it was primarily used as a flattening agent in paint and varnishes.

Monsanto abandoned its use in the 1970’s. It was expensive and difficult to manufacture according to the website areogel.org . One challenge was that exposure to a significant amount of aerogel dust created serious respiratory issues.

Aerogel can be manufactured from many base materials including silca, carbon, copper, gelatin and more exotic combination’s. The secret is a final product that is 98% air – an excellent insulator. We know that air pockets in feathers trap warmth thus providing insulation, however feathers need loft or thickness to function well. Also, feathers are bulky (or puffy in a jacket) and require a serious commitment from the donor.

Aerogel Jacket

Enter NASA. Think spacesuit. They needed superior insulation for astronauts and space probes. Oh cost was a minor issue. In 1993, Aspen Systems, of Marlborough, Massachusetts, secured a contract from NASA to develop an aerogel manufacturing process.

Soon, Cryogel®, was used in launch vehicles, Space Shuttle upgrades, interplanetary propulsion, and life support equipment. Now called Spaceloft™, gloves designed for the Mars mission will use aerogels.

Aspen Aerogels, a spinoff company, was tasked with commercializing aerogels and soon got a handle on the difficult manufacturing problems and expanded the product line into window and skylight insulation, non-flammable building insulation, and inexpensive firewall insulation that will withstand fires in homes and buildings. And outdoor clothing. It was successfully tested on an Antarctic expedition.

The performance of the material is astounding providing protection from – 200°C to + 635°C. A 3 mm thick layer of aerogel can protect the human body even at temperatures below -50°C. Read the rest of this entry »