Check this out: a new material called Aerogel. It's made from extracting water from silicate and replacing it with gas. 1/10 the weight of styrofoam, but strong enough to withstand 1300 degree heat, and direct TNT blast. Imagine a 1 pound hemi engine block made from this stuff! http://www.hyscience.com/archives/2007/08/scientists_clai.php
Apparently this stuff is not so "new", having been discovered in the 1930s. But the older stuff was too brittle to have any real application, and remained a lab curiosity. Now it is supposedly stable enough for commercial use.
indestructible commercials damn i hate cuz there is so many now ok lets all gather our Hamb allowances and get in on this and corner the market!
This post inspired me to do a little more research. One interesting thing is it is a very strong dessicant and wearing gloves is recommended if you're going to be touching it for prolonged periods. Must be extremely porous. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerogel
I heard about this stuff probably 10 years ago and have always been fascinated with it. The reason why gloves are recomended is that it tends to break down and can be easily absorbed in the skin. I've seen tests in which a welding torch was placed on this stuff for 20 maybe 30 seconds, and is immediately "touchable" without being burned. My only bummer was that the company that produces it is not publically traded as of yet. By the time they decide to go public, it will be out my price range.
MMMMMMMMM KELLY LABROCK BACK IN THE DAY. Hey Zenor are you ready for you shippment from south of the border that we talked about at round up? Tortilla's and salsa
Did a story on this at Discover magazine about 4-5 years ago. They sent us some samples of it, as it was being used to catch bits of comets that were flying by. Aparently that worked, though they don't have the stuff back yet (or tthat is what I heard last), but it is very brittle, as one might imagine. Tuxedo touched on it, has something to do with handleing it directly. But is is very cool to hold and touch.
Interesting. If so brittle then how did a 6mm coating protect a piece of steel from a dynamite explosion?
Don't know, I think it has something to do with handleing it directly. When you touch it, it splinters pretty easily. I know they used it in the Stardust space probe to catch microscopic bits of a comet. The preparation of the ship though was done in a special manufacturing facility with gloves and white suites and all that. But I have also seen it taking the abuse of a gas torch. And so I am sure that it can protect from an explosion, it has the propeties of a solid and a gel. This is all info though from 4 years ago, so things could hae changed in how its made.
I too have been fascinated with this **** since I saw it years ago on Discovery. I got the idea that it was a super light weight, minimal density foam-like material. Something, that for having minimal density, could still hold it's shape. No? I thought the initial purpose was for insulation (like, between structural layers, i.e. for a refrigerator) and that it really had no structural strength. For people that have never seen it, I always tell them that if there was a cube of it sitting on a table, it would look like a blurry box. Some trippy stuff, whatever it is....
Watching those videos of the guy holding the stuff. I guess it does have more strength than I thought. I want a glider, you know, the kind that does a loop when you throw it and comes and clocks you on the back of the head.
Im not sure what is comin up from the border here Mike, but Id like some of what you are takin ....interesting **** here bro! did you know your coupe got me on the sho rod bandwagon?
Aerogel was used in the comet probe...it has since returned to earth (early last year if I remember correctly) with bits and pieces of the captured comet's tail stuck inside it... R-
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