The world’s lightest material is aerogel and to refresh your memory; here’s a post that we published earlier on aerogel. Graphene aerogel is so light when it comes to weight that it can be balanced on top of a flower. Why are we talking about this particular material? That is because a new use for this material has been suggested and we couldn’t help but realize how it will change things if this gets to the production phase. The material creator, Professor Gao Chao, has said that the graphene aerogel can one day be the standard safety equipment on civil aeroplanes.
Making use of parachutes made from this material for a 300-seat Boeing 777 would add a total weight of 60 kg and this can be quite an incentive for the weight conscious airlines. According to Professor Chao, a parachute made from this particular material will probably weigh less than a t-shirt even. According to him, using this kind of parachutes shall work towards imparting a sense of security and a peace of mind to the passengers during a flight and in case of an emergency, they could actually save lives as well.
In words of Professor Chao; ‘If the plane disintegrated in mid-air, like if it were hit by a missile, the parachutes would give some passengers a chance of survival. Those with flight panic may also find mental relief by wearing a parachute throughout a flight.’
However, he also believes that there are certain factors that need to be considered before that can take place and says; ‘I am optimistic that these technological constraints can be overcome. Some manufacturers have contacted us to develop a new type of clothing with the technology.’
So what we’re basically looking at are new uses of aerogel that will be implemented in a few years and would totally revolutionize industries.