Types
Silica
The most notorius type of Aerogel is the silica based version, being originated from silica gel that holds only oxygen and silicon bonds. This type of gel is not toxic or flammable, and is environmentally safe.
In 1990, the Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory created the lightest silica-based Aerogel; it was
99.98% air. In spite of this, silica-aerogel is used for
thermal insulation, having a low thermal conductivity value.
It's melting point has been recorded at 1473 Kelvin. Carbon
Carbon-based Aerogels are intertwined
with nanometer sized convalent bonds. These types of
Aerogels are mainly made in paper-like sheets of unwoven
carbon fibers with a resorcinol-formaldehyde aerogel that
has been inserted. This carbon Aerogel is mainly used as a
supercapacitors and solar energy collectors. This aerogel
classification is due to the monolithic structure on the
inside.
Alumina
Alumina aerogels are those that are made
with aluminum oxide. This aerogels then are capable of being
used as catalysts. These aerogels are not limited to
aluminum oxide, but can include or being composed soley of
other metals, such as nickel, gadolinium and terbium.
Aerographene
Also known as graphene aerogel,
aerographene is a type of Aerogel that has incorporates carbon
nanaotubes to support its insides. This feat was accomplished
by freeze drying the carbon nano-tubes with large amounts of
graphene oxide, and then removing the oxygen by chemistry. Other
Some other types of Aerogels are being made with a wide range of material. SEAgel, similar to organic types of Aerogels, is made from agar.One type of Aerogel, called chalcogens, is composed of Halogen elements. These range from Oxygen to Sulfur, Selenium, and others.