Producer'S Notes - in the Kitchen With Aerogel
Scientist Alex Gash prepares the “frozen smoke.”
I’ve always loved cooking shows. There’s something so satisfying about watching an expert gather, wash, peel, macerate, combine and assemble ingredients. And because of the magic of television, we get the whole enchilada neatly packaged within a half hour program. Everything’s perfectly cooked, presented and served. And I don’t have to do the dishes.
So when I conceived this Aerogel segment, I had a cooking show in mind. I imagined the mad scientist, standing at his bench in requisite white lab coat and safety glasses, Bunsen burner bubbling away. And the big reveal at the end, pulling a perfectly-formed cylinder of Aerogel from the supercritical extractor. Well, it turns out that the process of making Aerogel isn’t terribly visual. Essentially, there’s a lot of clear liquid being added to clear liquid. Which becomes clear gel. Then it’s put into a machine and it comes out Aerogel.
So, it’s a good thing that our chemist, Alex Gash, was a rock star. He was such a good sport, saying the same thing over and over in just slightly different ways without a single complaint. And even though he works with Aerogel (Sol Gel chemistry) every day, it still seemed like he was pretty excited about it.
So, while it’s not exactly a cooking show, we hope that our little segment piques your interest to find out more about how Aerogel is made as well as its really interesting applications. Maybe you can even print out the recipe and make it at home.
Watch the “QUEST Lab: Aerogel” TV Story online, as well as find additional links and resources.
Amy Miller is a Coordinating Producer for television on QUEST.
id like the easier way to craft home made aerogel. Thanks a lot.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am currently studying an MSc course in Automotive Engineering at Birmingham City University in the UK. As part of this course, I am required to investigate new/alternative materials and manufacturing processes and my chosen area of study is ‘The Possible use of Aerogel as an Energy Absorption Material in Crash Helmets’.
I have a number of questions regarding this topic and any information you could supply would be greatly appreciated:
-What kind of aerogel would you recommend for this type of application - I was thinking numerous layers of flexible aerogel composite blanket due to ease of manufacture of the helmet. In your opinion, are these blankets effective as energy absorbers?
-Most importantly, I require energy absorption properties for the aerogel and its approximate cost.
- I understand the benefit of the presence of fibers in producing a material that is easily moldable, but how does the addition of fibers affect the energy absorption properties?
Thanking you in advance,
Regards,
William Murray