Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Scientists Turn Paper Waste Into Aerogel (inhabitat.com)

Posted by yaelk on from the conservation-news dept.

Kristine Lofgren writes: A team of scientists have successfully turned paper waste into aerogel. Aerogels are used in insulation, and they are usually made out of polymers and silica. But a research team at the National University of Singapore managed to make the highly sought-after product using recycled paper, which could have huge implications not only for the rate at which we are filling up our landfills, but also for the amount of chemicals that we are producing and releasing into the environment.

11 of 54 comments (clear)

  1. fire! by blogagog · · Score: 2

    It seems like it would be difficult to make a mostly paper product flame retardant.

    1. Re:fire! by Fly+Swatter · · Score: 4, Informative

      Recycled paper is already used to make cellulose insulation, and has been for many years. By necessity it is full of flame retardants. It is nothing new.

      The actual article only mentions insulation in passing, in the picture it looks more like a standard foam product. Nothing like cellulose insulation. They hope to initially use it for cleaning up oil spills.

    2. Re:fire! by choprboy · · Score: 2

      It seems like it would be difficult to make a mostly paper product flame retardant.

      Actually it is quite easy. Finely shredded paper is commonly used as a high-R value blown-in insulation for attics and wall cavities. The paper is treated with boric acid which acts as a flame retardant.

    3. Re:fire! by del_diablo · · Score: 2

      Aerogel is solid smoke, or solid gas, per definition. Or at the least thats the wikipedia simplified explanation.
      So paper contains chemicals that can be used to make one form of solid smoke.
      Now here is the important thing about Aerogel: All forms of it has different properties, outside of being extremely insulating, and extremely non dense(light), and usually quite hard. Further properties depend on what its made from.
      Some are super fragile, some can bend, etc.

    4. Re:fire! by Harlequin80 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Nope, very easy in fact. Shredded paper is one of the best roof insulations you can get and it is treated with boric acid to make it fire retardant. Here is a link to someone hitting Cool or Cosy (a brand name version of shredded paper insulation) with a blow torch.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    5. Re:fire! by Immerman · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I would have thought similarly, but Wikipedia says otherwise (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerogel). Perhaps a flame-front can't advance fast enough through a rigid structure?

      Heat cannot spread through aerogels quickly, nor can the expanding hot air front spread further into the fuel, so I'm guessing only the outermost surface can be thermally catalyzed, and thanks to their incredibly low density there's not going to be a lot of other fuel within range of a burning molecule to absorb the energy before convection carries it away from the surface.

      --
      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
  2. Re:And how does this help children? by gstoddart · · Score: 4, Funny

    Well, they could make aerogel out of children if that makes you feel better.

    Seriously? Why must every scientific advancement help children?

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  3. Cheaper? by sims+2 · · Score: 2

    What I want to know is if it will be cheaper as right now even a small sample of areogel costs a small fortune.

    Its supposed to be one of the very best insulation materials but its always been extremely cost prohibitive to insulate your house with it.

    --
    Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
    1. Re:Cheaper? by Rei · · Score: 2

      I fail to see how it's at all like composite building - it's a moulded product. Also note: frozen and freeze dried for two days. So if you want to make boats out of the stuff, you have to amortize in the cost of two days (per unit) usage of a thermally-regulated vacuum chamber large enough to put a boat in, which is a pretty expensive piece of kit.

      Also, how long is the sonication process?

      Making boats or surfboards out of the stuff sounds kind of pointless. As you already clearly know, the ideal boat hull is a twinwall composite, where you have composite layers of high tensile fabric bonded to either side of a lightweight foam or honeycomb core - the latter existing primarily to space the former out. If you replace the inner layer with aerogel, you're only cutting out the weight of the foam or honeycomb - and foams and honeycombs are already quite light. I mean, you'd save some weight... but enough to justify the cost and difficulty?

      I guess if you're going really upmarket... after all, some people buy Monster cables ;)

      --
      We should start dealing in those black-market beagles.
  4. Re:And how does this help children? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I believe in making the world safe for our children, but not our children's children, because I don't think children should be having sex.

  5. Landfill?! by troon · · Score: 2

    could have huge implications not only for the rate at which we are filling up our landfills

    Wouldn't aerogel fill our landfills much faster than in its original, denser form?

    --
    Ydco co ,df C erb-y go. a Ekrpat t.fxrapev