Scientists at NUS Engineering have developed the world’s first aerogel made from recycled plastics from PET, making the material more soft, flexible and very durable.
Made of from soft-drink bottles, the aerogel could find useful applications suche as a mask that could even be used daily to avoid air pollution, seasonal allergies, and health hazards or fire safety equipment. Another advantage of this new material is its versatility. The team discovered that different surface treatments meant that the aerogel could be used for many diverse applications. For example, if the PET aerogel incorporates a variety of methyl groups on its surface, it has the ability to absorb large amounts of oil up to seven times more effectively than other commercially available products.
But perhaps the most exciting application of the aerogel could be its use in fire safety equipment. When coated with fire retardant chemicals, the aerogel was shown to withstand temperatures up to 620°C. Amazingly, this temperature resistance is seven times higher than conventional firefighter coats would allow, yet it could result in coats that are 11 times lighter.

Source and image: news.nus.edu.sg

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