Supercritical drying chamber for aerogel production

TL;DR

Learn how to construct a supercritical drying chamber for creating aerogel, which involves using liquid CO2 and methanol mix.

Transcript

hey everyone I finally got some chemicals to make aerogel and so in preparation I built this supercritical drying chamber so let me show you how it's built okay here we have a 20-pound co2 cylinder and it says siphon on there which means that inside the tank there's a tube that goes all the way to the bottom so when I open the valve I get liquid co... Read More

Key Insights

• 🫗 Liquid CO2 is used as a crucial component in the creation of aerogel, and a supercritical drying chamber is necessary for this process.
• 🏗️ Building a supercritical drying chamber involves using a 20-pound CO2 cylinder, fitting it with valves, and constructing a two-inch steel pipe chamber.
• 🫢 The pressure gauge on a CO2 system is not an accurate representation of the amount of liquid or gas in the tank but rather indicates the outside air temperature.
• 👷 Constructing the drying chamber requires precautions to prevent leaks, such as using Teflon tape and conducting leak checks.
• 😇 The chamber is designed to drain the CO2-methanol mixture from the aerogel, as the solvent needs to diffuse out of the gel over time.
• 😇 The time required for the full aerogel-making process varies depending on the size of the gel.
• 🥼 Stocking up on lab equipment and materials is essential for successfully making aerogel.

Questions & Answers

Q: What materials are used to construct the supercritical drying chamber for making aerogel?

The main materials used are a 20-pound CO2 cylinder, a two-inch steel pipe fitting for the chamber, and smaller eighth-inch fittings for valves.

Q: How does the liquid CO2 flow into the chamber?

The liquid CO2 flows from the CO2 cylinder, through a copper pipe, and into the chamber via a valve that lets the liquid in.

Q: What is the purpose of the bottom valve in the chamber?

The bottom valve is used for draining the liquid CO2-methanol mixture from the chamber, which will be done when creating the aerogel.

Q: How can leaks in the chamber be checked?

To check for leaks, the creator recommends using a tube and listening for any leaks while pressurizing the chamber with liquid CO2.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The video showcases the construction of a supercritical drying chamber for making aerogel using a 20-pound CO2 cylinder and a two-inch steel pipe fitting.

• The chamber is filled with liquid CO2 through a valve, while another valve is used to release gas from inside the chamber, and a bottom valve is used for draining the liquid.

• The chamber will be used to create aerogel by draining the methanol and CO2 mixture out of the gel, and the video teases a future video on the actual aerogel-making process.