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Aerogel markets report available
Companiesandmarkets.com is offering a new 70-page report that analyzes the global market for aerogels by following end-use markets: thermal and acoustic insulation, consumer products, sensors and Instrumentation, medical, aerospace, energy and others. The report contains separate analyses for US, Europe and the rest of world, with forecasts through 2015.
The report profiles 11 companies including many key and niche players worldwide such as American Aerogel, Aspen Aerogels, Cabot, Marketech International and TAASI. The publisher says the market data and analytics are derived from primary and secondary research, noting that the company profiles are mostly extracted from online sources.
Material wise, the report covers silica and carbon aerogels plus cryogels and xerogels. It also covers technological developments including aerogel integration with fibers and yarns. On the business side, the report delves into recent product innovations and industry activities.
The report costs $4,500 but a view of the table of contents is provided for free.
Read more about aerogel:
Video: Aerogel insulation hits housing market
Aerogel-based -40°C hydration system to be licensed
Solar Decathlon entries make use of aerogel
Aeroclay research at Case Western
NASA’s aerogel grid captures amino acid in space
Cabot”s Nanogel aerogel insulation selected for 50 km of subsea pipelines
Artistic aerogel light demonstrations
Aerogel used in classic car remake
Aerogel’s potential to mop up oil spills
Aerogel has potential as tunable waveplate
Universe’s largest catcher’s mitt?
Birdair demonstrates aerogel membrane roofing systems
Aerogel-based -40°C hydration system to be licensed
Rights to a special low-temperature hydration system originally developed by NASA for astronauts - one that makes heavy use of the insulating wonder aerogel – is now being made available for licensing.
In a release from Fuentek LLC, the company announces that the Johnson Space Center has selected it to find prospective licensees for NASA’s High Altitude Hydration System. The major distinction of this system is that it prevents fluids from freezing.
This benefit of such a high-performance system is obvious for the freezing temperatures of space, but mountaineers also need a system that will not freeze in harsh conditions. Thus, Fuentek says it will target the manufacturers of outdoor equipment in commercializing the technology that can be used to use body heat to prevent freezing in tubing, containers and mouthpieces.
Credit for the creation of the NASA system is given to astronaut-mountaineer Scott Parazynski. In a post on the company blog, Fuentek representative Karen Hiser provides details about the hydration system:
“Dehydration is a life-threatening complication for high-altitude climbers,” says Hiser, “The lightweight device will provide 2-3 liters of liquid beverage (water, tea or nutritional supplement) over the course of a full summit day. The straw is insulated with aerogel or other highly efficient insulators, a feature that allows the heating system to work without extra thickness or weight. The technology uses passive transfer of body heat in one option, an intermediate variant system in another and a battery-powered microcontroller in a third.”
I’m not a mountaineer, but I believe them when they say climbers have a great risk of dehydration in high mountains. Fuentek says the NASA system can provide 2-3 liters of liquids over a 12-hour period in minus 40°C temperature and 15 mph winds over a 12-hour summit day. I am not sure if these are typical use numbers, so I have no idea if the system can still work in conditions like the summit of Mt. Everest where wind speeds of 110 kph (about 70 mph) are encountered.
“Whether using a hands-free hydration system or traditional, insulated water bottle, virtually every climber and cold-weather athlete has had their water freeze when they needed it most. This new technology provides an alternative to traditional hydration systems and will help prevent the life-threatening complications that accompany dehydration,” says Hiser.
Read more about aerogel:
Aerogel insulation hits housing market
Solar Decathlon entries make use of aerogel
Aeroclay research at Case Western Univ.
NASA’s aerogel grid captures amino acid in space
Cabot”s Nanogel aerogel insulation selected for 50 km of subsea pipelines
Artistic aerogel light demonstrations
Aerogel used in classic car remake
Aerogel’s potential to mop up oil spills
Aerogel has potential as tunable waveplate
Universe’s largest catcher’s mitt?
Birdair demonstrates aerogel membrane roofing systems
Nanotube aerogel sheets - better than real muscle?
Video of the week: aerogel insulation hits housing market
GreenTech reported that some aerogel companies are offering thin blankets that serve as replacements for traditional fiberglass, foam or cellulose insulation. It’s still more expensive upfront but the costs have fallen to the point that it can make sense in certain cases, particularly masonry or curved walls. The video posted above shows aerogel insulation over bent tubing.
Aerogels are made by removing the liquid from gels, resulting in a material that is more than 90 percent air. The porous structure of the nanomaterial makes it difficult for heat to pass through. As a result, aerogels make very good and light-weight insulators.
Aspen Aerogels says that its aerogel blankets have two to four times the insulating value per inch compared to fiberglass or foam. It’s also relatively easy to work with, allows water vapor to pass through and is fire resistant.
Material company Cabot has also developed its Nanogel insulator for buildings. Another company, ThermaBlok, has had its insulation used in demonstration houses built during last year’s Solar Decathlon home competition.
Contractors have started using the material on superinsulated homes that are sealed from the outside, both over masonry and under shingles. On wood frame homes, thin strips of aerogel can be applied to studs to prevent what’s called thermal bridging, where heat escapes through the walls’ framing.
Aspen provides this chart for for the R-value-philes (Spaceloft being Aspen’s brand name for their building insulation aerogel):
Read more about aerogel:
Aerogel markets report available
Aerogel-based -40°C hydration system to be licensed
Solar Decathlon entries make use of aerogel
Aeroclay research at Case Western
NASA’s aerogel grid captures amino acid in space
Cabot”s Nanogel aerogel insulation selected for 50 km of subsea pipelines
Artistic aerogel light demonstrations
Aerogel used in classic car remake
Aerogel’s potential to mop up oil spills
Aerogel has potential as tunable waveplate
Universe’s largest catcher’s mitt?
Birdair demonstrates aerogel membrane roofing systems
Survey envy
Hey NASA! I, too, will fill out a questionnaire about your new fancy-dancy Stardust-NExT site if you send me a little chunk of aerogel to play with.
Ceramic materials incorporated in fire-fighting concept vehicle
Credit: Yanko Design
Not in actual production, but Yanko Design is trying to stretch the possibilities with a new type of all-terrain vehicle for forest fire fighters to do recon and actual fire suppression:
To create a homogenous directive towards survivability AMATOYA incorporates state of the art clear aerogel laminated insulation in the windows and bodywork, a dedicated auxiliary water supply to operate a highly efficient, intelligent temperature controlled spray down system, military grade sacrificial thermo ceramic intumescent paints, and a mechanically injected large displacement diesel engine specifically engineered for the unique conditions experienced on the fire ground.
Hat tip to AutoBlog.
