When someone asks me why would I consider immortality (if ever), I always tell them that I am a technology enthusiast and it is one thing that always keeps advancing no matter what and it is all very exciting to me.
I mean, I am always in awe of how far we have already come in the short amount of time I have been on this planet and the things we are already capable of. This plunges me into a state of wonder at what we will be able to do within my lifetime and beyond.
As the saying goes, the science fiction of today is the reality of tomorrow and this has been proven time and again. There are a huge number of people working on several fields that are so cool that they will change our lives a hundred times over.
Today, I want to talk about innovations coming out of one such field and that is material sciences, which basically involves the discovery and design of new materials, which forms the basis of engineering new technology into the real world. So, let’s dive in to some futuristic materials that will change the world.
1. Aerogel
So, you know what regular gel is right? It is a liquid type material that acts like a solid. Well, an aerogel is all that except, the liquid part has been replaced with a gas, that gives it some incredible properties, like being 98.2% empty space.
Aerogel holds 15 Guinness Book records and is also called frozen smoke, solid air, solid smoke and solid cloud. Even though it is so light, it is rigid and can support a lot of weight. They are also very good thermal insulators.
Right now it’s costly to manufacture this material but when the costs come down, it will be widely used. Current applications include use in space suits and space crafts with future applications ranging from military uses, industrial insulation, supercapacitors, drug delivery system, and so many other places.
2. Superhydrophobic Materials
In lay man’s terms, superhydrophobic materials are highly water proof materials. They literally repel liquids from their surface and it is so cool to watch how a coating of these materials transform everyday objects.
Scientists have been trying to mimic natural examples of hydrophobicity like in lotus leaves. To do this, they are making use of nanoparticles that can act as a barrier between liquid and other objects, though mass production is still a challenge.
Potential applications include making electronics completely waterproof, in the development of micro fuel cell chips, coating on planes and cars to precent ice accumulation in cold temperatures,
3. Aluminium Oxynitride
This material is a ceramic that is composed of aluminum, oxygen and nitrogen and is often referred to as transparent aluminum, though that is incorrect. What is most interesting about this material is that it is transparent!
But wait, there is more, it is also 3 times stronger than steel! So, you can only imagine the number of applications for this particular material. You could build skyscrapers that are transparent but really strong too, it could be used in futuristic space crafts, airplanes where there are much larger viewing areas.
Applications also include, bulletproof windows, semiconductor related applications, and so on. Right now, as with other exotic materials, it is too expensive to produce and as such, its use is very limited.
4. Graphene
Graphene is being called a wonder material and rightly so. It is an allotrope of carbon and is 10 times stronger than steel, but what is most interesting about it, is the enormous applications and industries that it could revolutionize.
Graphene is excellent for electronic uses including but not limited to transistors, electrodes, sensors, etc. It also has a plethora of uses in the medical field like drug delivery, tissue engineering, and much more. Not only that, it can also be used for energy generation and storage which are in grave need of a revolution.
It can also be used for water filtration and desalination, which if achieved, could solve the water problems of the whole world. No reason, it is being called the holy grail of materials.
Why do I have this funny feeling that if fast food restaurants could use the properties of Aerogel, they would incorporate it into their food?
This way, we could have a gas-filled Big Mac, where it looks like a big mac, but it's just empty air inside. lol
Lol, as you mentioned it, I could imagine it too now.
I expect it would become part of the milk shakes. Anything to keep those things fluffy without using any authentic ingredients.
As a kid I enjoyed milk shakes, but as an adult I detest them. It feels like you're just sucking up heavy fat cream and calories with every slurp. Yuck. :(
Milkshakes don't taste the way I remembered when I was a kid. These days if I'm going to go for that kind of stuff I prefer to go with the premium gelato or ice cream. I think I'm getting picky in my old age 😉
haha, I don't think you can make anything into an aerogel :P But that would be awesome :D (for the companies, I mean)
I thought they were using rubber yoga mats in the buns for that. MMMmmmmm mmmmm pink slime and yoga mats, it's what's for dinner!
I think the most exciting thing about graphene is it's potential to revolutionise batteries. Could make enormous differences in sustainable energy advancement.
Great post! Reminds me of the stuff I used to read in Popular Science and Popular Mechanics.
Yeah, pretty interesting.
Indeed our knowledge has advanced. I wonder what folks a century ago would think of our abilities today in technology. There seems to be no end. Exciting yes as long as it is used for the good of mankind and not the destruction. With all we can do we could become our own Gods. I think of Billy Joel's Song Two Thousand years. Take a listen if you have not heard of it. It imagines the next 2000 years in the last verse. Thanks..
There will be miracles
After the last war is won
Science and poetry rule in the new world to come
Prophets and angels
Gave us the power to see
What an amazing future there will be
And in the evening
After the fire and the light
One thing is certain: Nothing can hold back the night
Time is relentless
And as the past disappears
We're on the verge of all things new
We are two thousand years
Oh yes, in a more distant future, we will be our own gods. Just think about all the technologies that are being perfected that will give us superhuman powers almost. And yeah, the song is beautiful!
Great post, the aerogel is crazy!!!
It sure is!
oh yeah, thats the future. Thanks for the post, nice to read..
Thanks for reading :)
good post
Thanks :)
Outstanding! I have seen super hydrophobic paint, and wondered about it's ability to break down in the environment. I hope they have a way to recycle it.
I think I saw transparent aluminum on one of the Star Trek movies, when they needed to transport the humpbacked whale.
This all ties into your posts on consciousness. Only consciousness is real, all else is virtual. This explains the old saying that you mentioned, the science fiction of today is the reality of tomorrow.
Up-vote, re-steemed and thrilled!
Yeah, the hydrophobic coating is so cool and yes I have read that the transparent aluminum thing was shown on Star Trek movies though I haven't seen them yet.
Doah, I thought it was the first one, but it was Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home 1986. Watch it sometime, it was good.
this is very interesting
Yeah, it is!
These Futuristic Materials will be very useful to humans.
But it will be destructive to nature. I'm sure for that .
Some of them will be and some of them won't. In the end, I think the free market will see to it that the harmful ones don't last.
Amazing! And all of the resources that comprise these inventions are available on this rock we call earth... and home...
yeah, pretty amazing.
Availability of clean water is big problem in all over the world. Graphene is great solution for water filtration. Non-availability of clean water causing many diseases.
yes, it could solve that huge problem.
The future of material science. Interesting article. thanks
Thanks for reading :)
Hey just wanted to let you know that you have a small typo in the section about Aluminum Oxynitride. Thought instead of though. Great article, was a good read
hey, thanks, it's been fixed now. Thanks for reading :)
They already produce the superhydrophobic nano sprey Wet-o-Dry or something like that and also hydrophobic iron that is laser treated - no painting anymore. But what makes me curious is, how much water they need to produce this new materials? And, how much waste they prodce at the beginning of the life-cycle of the product?
Yeah, I saw a video too where they showed it working. Not sure about how widespread it is though or how effective in the long run.
What!!!!! wow wow wow!! I think so, this will change the world. Impormative article.
Thank you so much for the article.
You will shape another history for the future!
I've been waiting for aerogel to become affordable for a decade now. Here's to hoping it will available to the masses, along with these other very helpful materials.