Issued patent
Polyamide Aerogels
An issued NASA patent from the Technology Transfer catalog.
About this technology
Overview
Sometimes referred to as "solid smoke," aerogels are the world's lightest solid materials, composed of approximately 85% air by volume. Polyamide aerogels open up a whole new world of applications due to their unique properties: translucent like silica aerogels; thermoplastic; ultra-low density; superior mechanical properties; low-temperature operating range; and highly flexible (as compared to NASA Glenn's polyimide aerogels). Polyamide aerogels are further novel because of their tunable glass transition temperatures, meaning that crystallinity -- and hence strength -- can be controlled via operating temperature. Addressing the key drawbacks of aerogel technology (hydroscopicity, fragility, cost), NASA Glenn's suite of organic aerogels are cost-competitive with both existing silica aerogels and, with scale-up, high-end foamed polymer insulation. Finally, Glenn's materials are truly multi-functional -- they can be structural members while providing superior thermal properties and extremely low dielectric (near that of air).