Session: 03-04-02: Emerging Materials Technology

Paper Number: 121657

121657 - Aerogel Applications in Aerospace 

Aerogel Applications in Aerospace

Haiquan Guo^1,2, Stephanie Vivod², Jamesa L. Stokes²

1                     Universities Space Research Association

2                     NASA Glenn Research Center

Aerogels are lightweight, highly porous, emerging materials that can be used in many aerospace applications.  Polymeric and ceramic aerogels are two important kinds of aerogels developed in the past years in our research groups.  Polymer aerogels have stronger mechanical properties and ceramic aerogels can withstand much higher temperatures up to 1200^oC.  In this presentation, different applications of aerogels in aerospace are discussed, including thermal insulation, light-wight structures, antenna substrates, cable insulations, plasma actuators, acoustic mitigation and so on.  The properties of aerogels are tailored, such as density, thermal conductivity, thermal stability, flexibility, and hydrophobicity according to the requirements of the applications. 

Presenting Author: Haiquan Guo Universities Space Research Association

Presenting Author Biography: Dr. Haiquan Guo is an experienced material scientist and chemist, currently working in Universities Space Research Association, and have been worked onsite in NASA Glenn Research center since 2007. She has 15-year experience in aerogel research, particularly in exploration of different kinds of aerogels including polymer aerogels and ceramic aerogels for various aerospace applications. She works on improvement of the flexibility, strength, and structure of the aerogels. She also fabricates aerogel thin films and aerogel composites.