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Could world's lightest material be used to make parachutes? Scientists testing new graphene aerogel say it could be used by passengers if their plane broke up in mid-air
PUBLISHED: 16:19 GMT, 2 August 2014 | UPDATED: 16:41 GMT, 2 August 2014
Wonder material graphene aerogel – which is so light it can balance on top of a flower – could be used to make parachutes for aeroplane passengers.
Professor Gao Chao, who developed the material with a team of researchers from Zhejiang University in China, said parachutes made with graphene aerogel could one day become standard safety equipment on civilian aeroplanes.
If EasyJet and Ryanair - who are well known for being conservative with weight – added parachutes for all passengers on their 300-seat Boeing 777 jet – it would only add an extra 60kg.
Light as a flower: Graphene aerogel - the world's lightest material - could be used to make parachutes for passengers on civilian aeroplanes
The sponge-like matter is made of freeze-dried carbon and graphene oxide and is the lightest solid material in the world.
Prof Chao reckons a parachute made from graphene aerogel would weigh less than a T-shirt.
He said the parachutes might bring passengers peace of mind on a flight, and in the event of an accident, they could even save lives.
If graphene aerogel parachutes were installed on a Boeing 777 it would only add an extra 60kg to the aeroplane weight
Prof Chao told the South China Morning Post: ‘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.’
But he added that the aerogel would need to be made stronger and hardier before the material could be used for parachutes.
He said: ‘I am optimistic that these technological constraints can be overcome.’
Chao also reported that in the future graphene aerogel could even be used to make clothes.
He said: ‘Some manufacturers have contacted us to develop a new type of clothing with the technology.’
Read more: Could world's lightest material be used to make parachutes? Scientists testing new graphene aerogel say it could be used by passengers if their plane broke up in mid-air | Mail Online
- Scientists believe parachutes could one day be installed on civilian flights
- Graphene aerogel is so light it can balance on top of a flower
- A parachute made from the material would weigh less than a T-shirt
PUBLISHED: 16:19 GMT, 2 August 2014 | UPDATED: 16:41 GMT, 2 August 2014
Wonder material graphene aerogel – which is so light it can balance on top of a flower – could be used to make parachutes for aeroplane passengers.
Professor Gao Chao, who developed the material with a team of researchers from Zhejiang University in China, said parachutes made with graphene aerogel could one day become standard safety equipment on civilian aeroplanes.
If EasyJet and Ryanair - who are well known for being conservative with weight – added parachutes for all passengers on their 300-seat Boeing 777 jet – it would only add an extra 60kg.
Light as a flower: Graphene aerogel - the world's lightest material - could be used to make parachutes for passengers on civilian aeroplanes
The sponge-like matter is made of freeze-dried carbon and graphene oxide and is the lightest solid material in the world.
Prof Chao reckons a parachute made from graphene aerogel would weigh less than a T-shirt.
He said the parachutes might bring passengers peace of mind on a flight, and in the event of an accident, they could even save lives.
If graphene aerogel parachutes were installed on a Boeing 777 it would only add an extra 60kg to the aeroplane weight
Prof Chao told the South China Morning Post: ‘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.’
But he added that the aerogel would need to be made stronger and hardier before the material could be used for parachutes.
He said: ‘I am optimistic that these technological constraints can be overcome.’
Chao also reported that in the future graphene aerogel could even be used to make clothes.
He said: ‘Some manufacturers have contacted us to develop a new type of clothing with the technology.’
Read more: Could world's lightest material be used to make parachutes? Scientists testing new graphene aerogel say it could be used by passengers if their plane broke up in mid-air | Mail Online
