Video: Flamethrower vs Aerogel
Title: Flamethrower vs aerogel
Abstract:
This experiment serves to examine the unique interaction of aerogel with heat. There will be two demonstrations to showcase this interaction. First, A large Hershey’s chocolate kiss is used as a comparison. Next, an aerogel blanket is stretched with one person on each side, one with the flamethrower and the other with their hand touching the blanket to feel for a rise in temperature. The second demonstration is done by coating a metal plate in a millimeter thick aerogel coating called air lawn with a small square left uncovered. Water will be dropped on both surfaces to showcase the low heat conductivity of aerogel.
Introduction:
Aerogels are a class of synthetic porous ultralight material derived from a gel, in which the liquid component for the gel has been replaced with a gas, without significant collapse of the gel structure. Aerogel is made up of 99.8% air but is a better insulator than air itself. To turn aerogel into a practical use, we take particles of it and inject them into a composite material. aerogels have been used or considered for use in laser experiments, sensors, thermal insulation, waste management, for molten metals, for optics and light guides, and electronic devices. Aerogel has a unique interaction with heat as it is an extreme low thermal conductor of heat. Aero gel has small nano air pores which make it a great conductor of heat.
Material and Methods:
Aerogel blanket embedded with a composite material.
Boring company flamethrower on maximum blast.
Thermal camera to record up to 2000 degrees Celsius.
Chocolate Hershey kiss for comparison to see the heat damage.
Results:
When putting the flamethrower up against the aerogel blanket the one side read up to 900 degrees Celsius, while the other side read only up to 50 degrees Celsius.
When putting the hand onto of the metal plate, the hand will cool down the area instead of burning your hand. When dropping water onto the aerogel coating the water will not boil whereas putting it on the square will cause it to boil.
Discussion:
Aerogel is not only good with heat, but it can also be utilized in cryogenic temperatures, which is helpful when handling liquefied natural gas plants where insulating liquid helium is crucial to keep the heat out of cold pipes to prevent dangerous accidents. After taking aerogel out of liquid nitrogen, it stays flexible which is essential when dealing with material that needs to function at ultra-cold temperatures.
Conclusion:
Aerogel is crucial in storing resources and materials such as oil. Since aerogel is an extremely efficient insulator, you can half the amount of time and resources need to harvest oil. Aerogel is an essential material and crucial in pushing the limits of machinery.
