Eliminate Problems with Aerogel Drying

Many industries want aerogels for use in thermal insulation, but making them can be tricky. 

Removing the aerogels from the solvent bath for common use is a problem. Because the structure is so fine, normal drying at atmosphere collapses the network into dust. This is from the normal capillary pressure at the liquid/vapor interface on the inside of the pore. Supercritical fluids exhibit much lower surface tension both at the interface to liquids and to the interface at gases. It is this property that allows for the aerogel to be dried without destruction. 

 For more information about using supercritical fluid to solvent the aerogel drying problem, visit the Aerogel section of the website.