Aerogels are reborn thanks to a new chemical process and the needs of particle colliders.
The evolution of aerogel throughout the second half of the 20th Century and the beginning of the 21st Century.
The 1980’s: Aerogel Gets Going
Aerogel production becomes safer and a new class of electrically conductive aerogels are invented.
The 1990’s: New Techniques and the Final Frontier
Aerogels are made without supercritical drying, interest in commercializing aerogels reemerges, and aerogels enable discoveries in space.
The 2000’s: New Possibilities and Commercialization
Exciting new compositions become possible and aerogels are finally recommercialized.
The Future
Some comments about the future of aerogel.