Making aerogel

Summary by Krater

The creator attempts to make crack-free silica aerogel using a sol-gel method and supercritical CO2 drying, detailing the challenges with gel fragility, solvent replacement, and pressure vessel construction.

From the video

Answers: How do you make silica aerogel at home?

• Silica aerogel synthesis
• Sol-gel process
• Supercritical CO2 drying
• Capillary action in gels
• Pressure vessel design for aerogels

What it concludes

• Silica aerogel consists of less than 1% silica and over 99% air.
• The simplest and most common use of silica aerogel is as a thermal insulator.
• TMOS reacts with water to form silicon dioxide and methanol, which can lead to permanent blindness if it enters the eyes.
• Capillary action causes the wet gel to crack and shrink during traditional drying as the liquid evaporates.
• Supercritical drying using CO2 avoids surface tension, preventing the aerogel from collapsing during drying.
• Using a sous-vide cooker and a foil-covered water bath helps maintain consistent temperature control during supercritical drying.