[time-nuts] temperature stability basics

Bruce Griffiths bruce.griffiths at xtra.co.nz
Sun Nov 28 18:23:06 UTC 2010


jimlux wrote:
> Poul-Henning Kamp wrote:
>> In message <4CF1D64E.2010709 at earthlink.net>, jimlux writes:
>>> Poul-Henning Kamp wrote:
>>
>>> We use aerogel for insulation in Mars rovers..  Those little RHUs 
>>> don't put out a lot of heat, and you don't have much electronics on 
>>> at night.
>>
>> Do you know if that is in big blocks or in granular form ?
>>
> Blocks..
> They "cast" it (well.. more like do the reaction which makes the stuff 
> in a sort of tray... think baking dish), then trim to size.
>
> There's a fair number of "recipes" around to make your own aerogel.  I 
> haven't tried it, but it seems fairly straightforward, and non-exotic. 
> There are some process controls you need to figure out, but, hey, the 
> same applies to baking chocolate cakes and cookies.
>
Making it isnt a problem.
Removing the water from it (result of the "fabrication" technique) 
without destroying its mechanical integrity is.
One method is to use supercritical liquid carbon dioxide.

Bruce



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