You’ll never look at rice husks the same way again thanks to a Malaysian scientist who has discovered a way to make Aerogel from the low cost material. Aerogel is a super-strong substance and is the lightest solid known to man.
Halimaton Hamdan is the genius behind the discovery which could bring the substance, which was first invented in 1931, to the masses.
Aerogel’s use has been limited to a few select industries because of its high cost of $3,000 per kilogram. The only time we’ve likely come into contact with the material is when we’ve picked up a tennis racquet, where the substance is used for structural reinforcement.
Aerogel is comprised mostly of air and weighs only three times as much. It has insulating properties 37 times greater then fiberglass. In the image above, the material is insulating a hand from the heat of a blowtorch.
Handan has said it is so strong that it could be used to protect buildings from bomb blasts.
Producing the required silicon for the Aerogel from rice husks is expected to reduce to cost to just one-fifth of its current price, making it a cost-effective alternative to common insulating products.
Because the substance is near transparent, it could be sandwiched between panes of glass or perhaps used in paint for an insulating coating on walls and ceilings.
Fingers crossed on this project. It certainly looks very promising and could prove to be a revolutionary technology in an age obsessed with making objects lighter yet stronger.
Sources:
International Herald Tribune
Via: Treehugger