Several industries require new, innovative materials to provide advanced solutions to current problems. This article discusses aerographite, a material developed a decade ago that is proving to be a disruptive technology in multiple fields.
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What is Aerographite?
Aerographite is an innovative material that was developed by German scientists in 2012. This material is the lightest so far developed by researchers.
Six times lighter than air and with a density five thousand times less than that of water, this advanced material has intriguing properties which have made it attractive for several fields of research and commercial application. Aerographite is constructed of an interwoven nano- and micro-scale carbon tube mesh with a diameter of approximately 15 nm each.
The properties of this material include its ductility, electrical conductivity, and enhanced performance against high tensile loads and compression. Able to undergo extreme compression, aerographite intriguingly displays enhanced conductivity and strength under these stresses. Once the compressive load is removed, aerographite can return to its original size without damage. It can bear loads thousands of times heavier than itself.
Aerographite also has superhydrophobic properties, and by adjusting the preparation process, the structure of this material can be tailored to specific applications. Many uses have been explored for this revolutionary material.
Aerographite has several benefits for multiple industries. Due to its porous carbon nanotube structures, the main benefit is the ability to reduce the density of the material, and therefore its weight. This is achieved without compromising the material’s strength. Additionally, this revolutionary material absorbs high levels of light radiation.
Aerographite Synthesis
The synthesis of aerographite involves using a sacrificial template to grow carbon nanotubes. Zinc powder is heated to around 900oC, at which temperature it forms into crystals. By exploiting the tetrapod nanostructures which are formed, scientists are able to produce the aerographite network.
This prepared network of zinc crystals is then subjected to a carbon-containing gas under elevated temperatures in a CVD process. Atomic-scale layers of graphite are then formed on the tetrapod structure’s inner surface.
H2 gas is then simultaneously introduced in the process. This reacts with the ZnO in the template, breaking it down and releasing Zinc gas. This removes the sacrificial template, leaving only the final aerographite material. The porosity of the prepared structure can be tailored by modifying the speed at which the zinc oxide sacrificial template is removed during synthesis.
Uses of Aerographite
Many uses for aerographite have been proposed since its invention. These include uses in lightweight batteries for advanced green transportation, electronics for aviation, satellites, and motorsports, and as electrically conductive adhesives. The material can also be used to coat electrically non-conductive materials such as plastics and therefore enhance their conductivity.
As well as its use in innovative electronics applications, the inventors of the material proposed its use in pollutant control as a lightweight contamination absorbent. Another potential use for this material is in construction, to replace structural elements, decrease the weight of materials, and provide novel functionalities such as building health monitoring in new builds and retrofits.
Building Solar Sails – Aerographite’s Role in the Next Frontier of Space Exploration
One of the most exciting applications for this innovative material is its potential for use in solar sails. This technology has been widely proposed for use in deep space probes which will be able to travel further into the cosmos than current technologies.
A paper published in 2020 in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics highlighted the potential of using aerographite to construct solar sails which could be used to send a probe to Proxima Centauri in under two centuries, a travel time currently impossible with conventional technologies.
Unlike laser-assisted technologies, this probe would be pushed by solar radiation, reaching interstellar velocities in a fraction of the time possible with chemical rockets or other solutions. Additionally, there would be no need for the huge laser infrastructure required by the Starshot program. The paper’s authors have provided in-depth calculations, settling on aerographite as the most viable material for the probe’s sails.
How Making Graphene Aerogel in Space Will Shape Future Exploration
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Graphene was proposed as a material, but the authors identified that this may cause problems, especially with close solar passes, as well as problems with large-scale preparation of high-purity materials. Furthermore, the near-total transparency of graphene limits its absorption and reflective performance.
Aerographite, on the other hand, is a near-black material that possesses superior absorption and reflective characteristics under exposure to sunlight and solar radiation. Moreover, its superior strength and thermal characteristics make aerographite the ideal material for withstanding the rigors of outer space and the close solar pass needed during the mission in a “sundiver” maneuver.
The Future
Aerographite is a recent addition to the toolkit of engineers and material scientists. Whilst still in its infancy, several exciting and innovative uses have been proposed for this revolutionary material. Research into aerographite is ongoing, with the potential for industry being vast.
Further Reading and More Information
Anthony, S (2012) Aerographite: Six times lighter than air, conductive, and super-strong Extreme Tech [online] extremetech.com. Available at:
https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/133056-aerographite-six-times-lighter-than-air-conductive-and-super-strong
University of Kiel (2012) World Record: Scientists from Northern Germany Produce the Lightest Material in the World [online] uni-kiel.de. Available at:
https://www.uni-kiel.de/aktuell/pm/2012/2012-212-aerographit-e.shtml
Heller, R et al. (2020) Low-cost precursor of an interstellar mission Astronomy & Astrophysics 641 A45 [online] aanda.org. Available at:
https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2020/09/aa38687-20/aa38687-20.html
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