| One of the most searched for items on the | | | | and reported big savings in their heating bills. |
| Internet recently has been "scientists hail frozen | | | | Where space it at a premium, a thin layer of |
| smoke." I was intrigued by the article in The | | | | aerogel will outperform traditional insulation |
| Times that started this frenzy and decided to | | | | blankets. |
| investigate further as I was researching super | | | | But it is its potential as a replacement for glass |
| insulating materials. | | | | that we are most interested in. A Swedish |
| According to The Times "frozen smoke" is, "one | | | | company are experimenting with producing |
| of the world's lightest solids, can withstand a | | | | aerogel glass. This will provide low U-values with |
| direct blast of 1kg of dynamite and protect | | | | the equivalent thermal insulating quality equal to |
| against heat from a blowtorch at more than | | | | five to ten double glazed units. Unfortunately, at |
| 1,300C." | | | | the moment experimental production is currently |
| The company that make the product, Aerogel, do | | | | limited to just 15 square meters a month. |
| so by extracting water from a silica and then | | | | Other benefits of Aerogel Glazing when it does |
| replace it with gas such as carbon dioxide. This | | | | become available will be that; inert gases will not |
| creates an extremely light material 99% of which | | | | leak from between double or triple glazed units; |
| is made up of gas contained in millions of | | | | the glazing at just 12mm thick will be lighter than |
| nanopores and although it is classed as a solid the | | | | multiple-glazed units; it will provide better sound |
| gas gives it a semi-transparent appearance. | | | | insulation; and since no low-e coating will be |
| Aspen Aerogel is creating an insulated lining for | | | | required, better light transmission. |
| space suits. They believe that a 18mm layer of | | | | All this should mean that conservatory blinds and |
| aerogel will be sufficient to protect astronauts | | | | awnings will become a thing of the past, |
| from temperatures as low as -130C. | | | | ventilation will be less critical and living with a |
| But getting the stuff into a conservatory at the | | | | south-facing conservatory will also be less of a |
| moment is going to be a bit expensive, although | | | | problem. |
| prices will drop in the next few years. Some | | | | So we look forward to installing aerogel in a |
| people have experimented with aerogel insulation | | | | conservatory in a few years. |