Aerogels with Glass-like Transparency for Cherenkov Detectors

50713-98-I Aerogels with Glass-like Transparency for Cherenkov Detectors--Aspen Systems, Inc., 184 Cedar Hill Street, Marlborough, MA 01752-3017; (508) 481-5058 Dr. Redouane Begag, Principal Investigator Dr. Kang P. Lee, Business Official DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-98ER82534 Amount: $74,926 The Cherenkov detector community has long been looking for a reliable source of aerogels with glass-like transparency and high monolithicity to enhance the sensitivity of high energy particle detectors. Aerogels with their extremely low density, refractive index and reasonably high light transmission are highly desirable materials. However, aerogels generally have been rather translucent or opaque rather than transparent like glass. A modified two-step process for making aerogels with glass-like transparency, using an experimental three-liter reactor has been developed. This project will refine and scale up this process to make it commercially viable. It will closely monitor and investigate factors influencing transparency and monolithicity and also look for aerogel dopants that may significantly increase Cherenkov light emissions. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Transparent aerogels will be very useful for Cherenkov radiation detection, extra-high R-value window glazing, light transmitting structural panels, and skylights._