Silica Aerogel
Silica Aerogel is an ultra-low-density nanoporous silica solid produced by sol-gel processing and supercritical or ambient-pressure drying, and it is the benchmark super-insulating oxide material.
Reference datasheet — Silica Aerogel is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the MONO condition
Silica Aerogel tempers and conditions
Silica Aerogel is supplied in 5 conditions, soft to hard. MONO is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 5 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MONODefault Supercritically dried monolithic silica aerogel | Classic transparent/translucent block aerogel — pick for optical, Cherenkov-radiator, research and transparent-insulation uses. | 0.02 | 0.02 W/m·K | |||
Hydrophobic granules / beads | Pick for cavity fill, translucent daylighting panels, coatings and plaster additives where a pourable powder/bead form is needed. | 0.03 | 0.02 W/m·K | |||
Fiber-reinforced hydrophobic aerogel blanket/felt | Standard industrial form: flexible, cuttable, hydrophobic fiber-reinforced felt — pick for pipe, vessel, LNG and building insulation up to 650 °C where the wrap must follow complex shapes. | 0.25 | 5 | 0.02 W/m·K | ||
High-density / ambient-pressure-dried strengthened aerogel | Pick when a rigid, machinable, load-bearing aerogel board is required and a slightly higher conductivity is acceptable. | 0.5 | 1 | 3 HV | 0.03 W/m·K | |
Ultra-low-density monolith | Pick for hypervelocity particle capture, Cherenkov radiators and lowest-possible conductivity research; mechanically almost unhandleable. | 0.5 | 0.01 W/m·K |
What is Silica Aerogel?
Silica Aerogel is an ultra-low-density nanoporous silica solid produced by sol-gel processing and supercritical or ambient-pressure drying, and it is the benchmark super-insulating oxide material. Engineers use it where insulation thickness and mass are constrained: monolithic blocks, blankets on fiber batts, boards, granules and high-density grades, with a density near 0.1 g/cm³, thermal conductivity about 0.015 W/m·K and service to 650 °C. Mechanical properties are minimal — roughly 0.02 MPa tensile strength and 0.005 GPa modulus — so parts are fragile, dust-generating and normally encapsulated. Fiber-reinforced blanket forms are the practical alternative to monoliths for handling and installation. Silica Aerogel has a density of 0.1 g/cm³ (0.0036 lb/in³), lighter than 99% of ceramic grades. Silica Aerogel has a tensile strength of 0.02 MPa (0.0029 ksi), weaker than 100% of ceramic grades. The elastic modulus is 0.01 GPa (7.25×10⁻⁴ Msi).
What is Silica Aerogel used for?
- thermal insulation blankets
- spacecraft/cryogenic insulation
- particle detector Cherenkov radiators
- aerospace insulation panels
Advantages
- Lightweight — 0.1 g/cm³ (0.0036 lb/in³), better than 99% of ceramic grades
Limitations
- Poor heat conductor — 0.02 W/m·K (0.0087 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 100% of ceramic grades
- Low stiffness — 0.01 GPa (7.25×10⁻⁴ Msi), worse than 99% of ceramic grades
Silica Aerogel properties
Typical room-temperature values for Silica Aerogel-MONO; bars are the position among ceramic grades.
Physical4
Silica Aerogel has a density of 0.1 g/cm³ (0.0036 lb/in³), lighter than 99% of ceramic grades.
Mechanical7
Silica Aerogel has a tensile strength of 0.02 MPa (0.0029 ksi), weaker than 100% of ceramic grades. The elastic modulus is 0.01 GPa (7.25×10⁻⁴ Msi).
Thermal5
Silica Aerogel is rated for continuous service to 650°C (1,202 °F). It conducts heat at 0.02 W/m·K (0.0087 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 100% of ceramic grades. Thermal expansion is 3 µm/m·K (1.67 µin/in·°F).
Electrical4
Silica Aerogel has an electrical resistivity of 1×10¹² Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental2
Corrosion resistance is very good (80/100), better than 56% of ceramic grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Silica Aerogel takes about 100 MJ of energy and emits 6 kg of CO₂ — less than 55% of ceramic grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability2
Silica Aerogel's machinability is not recommended (8/100, better than 69% of ceramic grades).
Common Calculations4
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the ceramic family
Yield strength against density for every ceramic grade FabDigit runs. Silica Aerogel is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Silica Aerogel
Is Silica Aerogel easy to machine?
Monoliths are extremely friable — cut dry with a fresh razor/hot wire or low-force diamond wire, never with coolant; blankets and boards are cut with a knife or die, always with dust extraction and PPE.
Can Silica Aerogel be welded?
Not weldable or brazeable; assemble by encapsulation in foil/film jackets, mechanical clamping or silicone/aerogel-compatible adhesives.
Can Silica Aerogel be formed, bent or molded?
Net-shape cast in a mould during sol-gel gelation, then solvent-exchanged and supercritical-CO₂ (or ambient-pressure silylated) dried; blankets are made by gelling around a fiber batt and drying continuously.
Silica Aerogel chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| C (surface -CH3 / silylation)TMCS/HMDS-derived methyl groups on hydrophobic grades; absent in hydrophilic monoliths | 0 – 8 | 4 |
| glass fiber / ceramic fiber0 % in monoliths; 20–40 % in blanket/felt variants | 0 – 40 | 0 |
| opacifier (TiO2, SiC, carbon black)added in high-temperature grades to suppress radiative transfer | 0 – 10 | 0 |
| SiO2amorphous nanoparticle skeleton from waterglass or TEOS/TMOS sol-gel route | ≥ 90 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on Silica Aerogel?
Surface silylation (HMDS/TMCS) gives permanent hydrophobicity; edges are sealed or the part encapsulated in PET/aluminium-foil laminates to stop dusting and moisture ingress; no polishing or coating in the conventional sense.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Silica Aerogel in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Also called
- SiO2 Aerogel
How much does Silica Aerogel cost?
Silica Aerogel is a high-cost ceramic ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Silica Aerogel — frequently asked
What is Silica Aerogel used for?
Silica Aerogel is typically used for thermal insulation blankets, spacecraft/cryogenic insulation, particle detector Cherenkov radiators and aerospace insulation panels. In short: lowest-conductivity solid insulation; density near 0.1 g/cm³; extremely fragile monoliths.
What is the tensile strength of Silica Aerogel?
Silica Aerogel has a typical tensile strength of 0.02 MPa (0.0029 ksi) — weaker than 100% of ceramic grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is Silica Aerogel easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (8/100, better than 69% of ceramic grades). Monoliths are extremely friable — cut dry with a fresh razor/hot wire or low-force diamond wire, never with coolant; blankets and boards are cut with a knife or die, always with dust extraction and PPE.
Can Silica Aerogel be welded?
Not weldable or brazeable; assemble by encapsulation in foil/film jackets, mechanical clamping or silicone/aerogel-compatible adhesives.
What surface finishes work on Silica Aerogel?
Surface silylation (HMDS/TMCS) gives permanent hydrophobicity; edges are sealed or the part encapsulated in PET/aluminium-foil laminates to stop dusting and moisture ingress; no polishing or coating in the conventional sense.
Can Silica Aerogel be formed, bent or molded?
Net-shape cast in a mould during sol-gel gelation, then solvent-exchanged and supercritical-CO₂ (or ambient-pressure silylated) dried; blankets are made by gelling around a fiber batt and drying continuously.
What is the maximum service temperature of Silica Aerogel?
Silica Aerogel is rated for continuous use to about 650°C (1,202 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Silica Aerogel cost?
Silica Aerogel is a high-cost ceramic ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- Aerogels Handbook (Aegerter, Leventis, Koebel) — Springer (2011)
- ASM Engineered Materials Handbook — Ceramics and Glasses — ASM International (1991)
- Pyrogel / Cryogel aerogel blanket technical data — Aspen Aerogels (2023)
- Enova / Lumira aerogel particle data sheets — Cabot Corporation (2022)
- Monolithic and rigid aerogel property sheets — Aerogel Technologies (2023)
- ASTM C1728 Standard Specification for Flexible Aerogel Insulation — ASTM (2019)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.