ISRO Scientists made world’s lightest material ‘Silica Aerogel’

Scientists in Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre lab recently manufactured the world’s lightest material called silica aerogel or blue air.

• The Space Centre told that it is the world’s lightest synthetic material made by man. It is a highly guarded technology. ISRO have indigenously made it in India.

Properties of Silica Aerogel:

• The blue air has excellent thermal resistance.
• It is so light weight that it can be delicately placed on a flower head.
• Aerogel is also called Frozen smoke, the matrix of aerogel is made up of 99 per cent air
• The material is very fragile and brittle and scientists are still finding ways to make it tough and resilient.

Applications:

• The aerogel can used as filler in soldiers’ uniforms to save lives of soldiers at the Siachen glacier.
• It can be handy in insulating rocket engines as it can be used both in space and on Earth.
• It can be also used to make light weight clothing. It can be also painted on windows in to keep buildings cool or warm.
• ISRO is planning to use this material on moon rover in Chandryaan-2 mission of India.