Aerogel from rice husks

Aerogel is the lightest solid substance on earth and the best insulator: it withstands extreme cold and the heat from a flamethrower. With an insulation factor 37 times better than that of fiberglass, you’d think it would be ubiquitous. It’s also expensive: $1300 per pound (albeit that’s a lot of aerogel) in large part because it’s made of pure silica. Now a Malaysian researcher has found a way to make that silica from discarded rice husks and cut the cost of aerogel to $125 a pound.

Because aerogel is transparent, if the new economics prove out, it could be used in double-paned windows, appliances, and even walls. It could drastically cut heating and air conditioning costs, while cutting greenhouse gas emissions through lowered demand for electricity and heating fuels.

Source: World Business Academy (www.worldbusiness.org)