Aerographite is the lightest material in the world and consists of 99,99 percentage of air. This new material has been constructed by a team of scientist at the University of Technology in Hamburg and the University of Kiel.
The material looks like thin spider weave and appears almost cloud-like as its density is below 0,2 mg/cm^3.
As seen on the featured image. It might not seem as impressive. But holding it in your hand it appears not much unlike a black sponge.
It is made by developing a linked chain of carbon nanotubes onto a zinc-oxide template.
The two previous record holders as the world’s lightest material were the “aerogel” used by NASA to collect dust from a comet and the latter DARPA developed “metallic microlattice”.
But unlike aerogel, aerographite can support much more weight, it can actually support up to 40,000 times its own weight and can be compressed up to 1,000 times before springing back to its original shape.
Professor Rainer Adelung of Kiel University said; “It is able to be compressed up to 95% and be pulled back to its original form without any damage,”. “Up to a certain point, the Aerographite will become even more solid and therefore stronger than before. Also, the newly constructed material absorbs light rays almost completely. One could say it creates the blackest black.”
The material can also conduct electricity which implies that it could be used in batteries and electronics. It is also reportedly resistant to chemical attacks.
Future research and production possibilities will hint on how it will be used.
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Weltrekord: Das leichteste Material der Welt kommt aus Norddeutschland
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