Discuss how an understanding of polarity (see 8.4) enabled scientists to produce this new material, called Aerogel. Click here to read article.
100 Comments
Emily Collins
2/26/2014 07:18:44 am
Population gets out of hands very easily these days and its great that there is an up and coming solution. However, just like pollution becoming a larger problem each year there are also problems with overflowing dumps. I would image that it is the same case with hazardous chemical drop offs and dumps. What will become of the aerogel after it can no longer be used? As the absorption reduces to nothing will it still hold what is already in it or will everything be released back into the water and leave us where we started? Once everything for the idea is figured out completely I think it will be great but until then maybe will should be cautious about it. Even if there are only trained personnel that can use it people can be oblivious or do stupid things and not realize it.
Megan Loveless
2/27/2014 11:52:18 am
Due to their understanding of polarity, scientists are able to determine which substances Aerosols will absorb allowing them to help out the environment after disaters such as oil spills. I think this technology is a much needed step forward in the pollution clean-up industry.
Emma Koory
3/10/2014 12:09:50 pm
Understanding polarity was vital in the invention of this aerogel. The inventors had to purposefully make it to where it would absorb oil and repel water. Polarity is basically an imbalance of positive and negative sides of a molecule, and the sides attract or repel certain molecules. The inventors had to utilize this knowledge to figure out what would make the aerogel repel water and absorb oil.
Dianna Dominguez
2/26/2014 08:16:39 am
Polarity refers to when a molecule's electric charge leaves which causes the molecule to have a dipole or multipole moment.This can cause molecules to be ether polar or nonpolar. The polarity of a molecule can determine whether or not it will form another polar bond. Aerogel is a highly porous chemical substance that can attach to other solvents. Scientists can determine what substances aerogels can attach to due to their understanding of polarity.
Maura Blanchfield
2/26/2014 08:23:29 am
With new greener technology, there is always something new. The new idea of aerogel being used to help absorb oil and clean up oil spills can help. Not only can it absorb many organics, but "it has strong absorbing ability for metal ions." As the scientists become more familiar with this unique technology, I think it could become helpful in more ways than one. I look forward to what may come, and look forward to possibly being able to use it as a common person.
Izzy Saadeh
2/26/2014 08:24:46 am
I think this will be very beneficial for society and the environment. Many scientists are trying to come up with new ways to reduce the amount of pollution in the world, and with this solution, we will be conserving more water than we have been before.
Anne-Marie Guelcher
2/26/2014 08:29:08 am
I think understanding polarity is important for enabling scientists to produce Aerogel because of the strong absorbing ability for metal ions that Gong says Aerogel has. In order to have a strong absorbing ability one has to understand what polar and nonpolar is so the appropriate attractions can be created. In order for an attraction to exist, a scientist has to know if the elements/atoms they are working with are polar or nonpolar so that a substance can be created which will attract (ie absorb a substance) and not repel a substance.
Bernadette Spoth
2/26/2014 08:51:12 am
I think that with how many awful oil spills we have had, this aerogel technology will come in handy. With this new invention, we will be able to reduce pollution in our environment. It's a new, cheap, and effective way to clean up messes such as oil or chemical spills.
Renee Paquette
2/26/2014 08:59:05 am
Polarity was a very important concept in the discovery of Aerogel. This is so because having the two different attractions (positive and negative) on each side enables this material to be used to soak up and absorb the oil and other metals that should not be in the ocean water. Once the scientists figured out that polar molecules would have this ability to absorb certain substances, they were able to produce Aerogel.
Sabrina Morales
2/26/2014 09:08:14 am
Polarity causes electrons to spread apart from each other. It is important to understand this so that the scientists pick the correct atoms that will either attract or repel each other. The topic of Aerogel is very interesting it could be extremely helpful one day in cleaning up big oil spills.
Amelia Naegele
2/26/2014 09:12:46 am
This use of aerogels is completely crazy and absolutely awesome. It was amazing how quickly the aerogel absorbed the oil (as shown in the video), as well as how it appeared to be hydrophobic. This is a brilliant idea for cleaning up oil spills if it is possible to produce large amounts of aerogels efficiently and with little cost to the environment.
Alex Hawley
2/26/2014 09:21:24 am
The negative and positive ends on the aerogel allows it to efficiently remove oil and other contaminants from the sea. Without the understanding of polarity, the discovery of aerogels might not have happened. If mass produced, aerogels would make maritime oil spills a much smaller challenge.
Madeleine Dubelko
2/26/2014 09:26:07 am
The ability for the areogel to absorb petroleum is because of the polarity of the atoms. Gong mentions that the substance can absorb metal ions or cations. This means the polarity of the molecules in areogel are negative, and are attracting the cations in the petroleum.
Sam McIlheran
2/26/2014 09:29:07 am
Understanding polarity really was a useful concept here. The coolest thing (in my opinion) about this substance is its hydrophobia, and great ability to absorb any impurities in the water, such as oil.
Melissa Strickland
2/26/2014 09:29:08 am
I think that using the Aerogel will be very beneficial for the environment, and the fact that it can be reused is alse benecifial to society. I think it's amazing how far technology has come, especially in a world where pollution has become a big problem.
Samantha Motes
2/26/2014 09:33:09 am
A new greener technology to help a problem as huge as oil spills sounds like a great idea! Polarity plays a big role in the discovery of aerogels because it helps recognize the correct attractions needed to create something that is sophisticated enough to help with big problems, but also environmentally friendly so we don't have to clean up after the product. 2/26/2014 09:33:21 am
That is rather useful sounding and very chemically scientific.
Alyn Wakefield
2/26/2014 09:39:51 am
Having a new way to fight pollution like oil spills is great. The fact that the Aerogel can absorb chemicals and metals and not the water is amazing. Because water is polar, the Aerogel can absorb substances that are usually repelled by water.
Amy Barnes
2/26/2014 09:41:42 am
The concept of polarity was vital in the production of Aerogel. The attraction of positives and negatives allow it to absorb the oil. I think the Aerogel is a great discovery because there have been so many oil spills.
Teresa Cummings
2/26/2014 09:46:33 am
This is exactly what we need in the world! The Aerogel that can take our chemicals and metals will defiantly change our environment for the better. It makes me wonder if it is possible if there is something similar to Aerogel that we can use to reduce or break down our other pollutants. If this works so well in water, then we're set in that area, but we still need something on land. Recycling won't work for everything.
Tashana Simon
2/26/2014 10:03:12 am
Polarity played a key role in aerogel technology. Due to the negativity in aerogel, it was able to absorb the impurities or cations in water. It's ability to absorb quickly is a great benefit because in case of an oil spill, the aerogel will be able to clean up faster and avoid any further harm to sea life.
Darby Young
2/26/2014 10:16:27 am
It is important for these scientists to understand polarity so that they can find substances that will absorb oil yet repel water. This new Aerogel technology is very efficient and doesn't cause harm to the environment while it is helping it. Aerogel can absorb up to 100 times it's own weight and absorb oil and metal ions, proving that it is an effective substance that can help with large oil spills.
Connor Barron
2/26/2014 10:36:16 am
Polarity of molecules determine whether substances will be attracted to each other in order to form bonds . Understanding what type of charge oil and metal have helped the scientists to determine that Aerogel can be used to absorb them out of water because it has the opposite charge.
Francis Bright
2/26/2014 10:39:08 am
Polarity comes into play here with the use of the Aerogel attracting the chemicals and oil from the water and absorbing it into itself. The scientists have to recognize the attraction between the positive and the negative and they were able to create a material that'll attract the opposite which in this case is the oil. This new material is very eco-friendly and can end up doing wonders for disasters such as oil spills and can keep the environmental damage at a minimum with how fast it can soak it up.
Kaitlin Kotwicki
2/26/2014 10:54:33 am
I think that Aerogel will be a huge innovation for not only scientists, but also for the environment. Too often, we hear about oil spills happening and many animals or wildlife dying due to careless mistakes that we could fix. Aerogel will attract the oil, and absorb it, eliminating it from the water. I think this is wonderful and will lead to other great discoveries.
Caitlin St. Amour
2/26/2014 11:05:59 am
Polarity is very important in the production of Aerogel. The concept of polarity is between the positive and negative attractions, which in the case of Aerogel, would allow for oils to be easily cleaned and soaked up. Aerogel seems to be very beneficial in cleaning up our growingly polluted world.
Douglas Parker
2/26/2014 11:39:11 am
The most important thing in play in the new aerogels is the polarity of it. Since it is able to absorb lots of waste, it is important that it is heavily polarized. This will help clean up our oceans and make the world a greener place
Michael Manley
2/26/2014 11:41:56 am
The understanding of polarity is crucial for the efficient use of aerogels in oil spill scenarios. Because the aerogel must absorb certain metals/oils while avoiding water, an understanding of the charges of these items must be noted so that some May be attracted to the aerogel while the others are repelled.
Clare Starrs
2/26/2014 11:49:31 am
An understanding of polarity was very important in createing this new areogel technology. The electromagnetic atom in a polar colvalent bond attracts electrons more strongly and has a slightly negative charge, while those which are less electronegative are slightly positive. These and other characteristics of the atoms in a polarity assist the scientists in engineering the areogel technology to work as they need it to.
Ashley Dominguez
2/26/2014 12:19:12 pm
Polariry definitely plays a major role within the production of aerogel. The positive and negative attractions of the product allow it to absorb the oil and other chemicals and separate it from the water . This product will lead to a more sustainable and "greener" earth. This could be a scientific breakthrough for a future generation.
Ian Platt
2/26/2014 12:32:07 pm
The use of Aerogel is probably one of the smartest environmental decisions I have seen in quite a while. By utilizing a greener method of absorbing oil/chemicals from water, we are reducing the amount of problems that occur when oil spills happen. The way I see it, the cheaper the removing process is, the more of it can be used. The more of it that can be used means the quicker the process will be done. The quicker the process is done means the least amount of overall collective damage on the environment. 2/26/2014 12:48:43 pm
Polarity is when a molecule's electric charge leaves.This can cause molecules to be ether polar or nonpolar. This is also what allows this material to be able to absorb so much and to help clean up our environment. The discovery of this and the mass production of this material can both help our oceans and reduce pollution which is very good for our environment overall and is extremely beneficial.
jacob wahlin
2/26/2014 12:53:59 pm
i think this is a great idea. it sounds much more cost effective than how oil is cleaned up now. how ever even though it is mostly made out of cellulose that doesn't necessarily mean that it is good for the environment. i think more research should be done in that field of the experiment.
jacob wahlin
2/26/2014 12:57:56 pm
polarity plays a part in this because the aerogel is not polar. if it were polar it would attract water. since it is not polar water is not attracted to it and oil is. oil is not polar.
Brianna Wylie
2/26/2014 12:59:30 pm
Polarity is important to understand in this situation because it is the reason for Aerogel. Polar molecules have positive attractions on one side and negative attractions on the other. Because Aerogel is a polar molecule, it is able to soak up oil and other chemicals from water. With large oil spills and other disasters causing water pollution this would be a "green" approach to decreasing the pollution. It would also be an easier way of cleaning the water if produced in large quantities.
Sarah Mekonnen
2/26/2014 01:51:37 pm
Understanding polarity is important because the positive and negative attractions will allow the oils and harmful toxic waste to part from the waters of the ocean; in this new method of Aerogel technology. Once the scientists fully get this to use in the oceans it would be a great deal of environmental progression.Thus making the earth a cleaner and safer place to live in, all in an low-impact and inexpensive manner.
Danielle Borneman
2/26/2014 07:28:51 pm
Polarity causes molecules to be either polar or nonpolar. Scientists can use this information to figure our what substances can attach to aerogels, because it likes at attach to other solvents. I think that Aerogel is a great idea, because it'll clean up the mess of oil spills without absorbing any water. Scientists are finding great new solutions to fix our environment. 2/26/2014 07:58:48 pm
Anything to make the environment more safer and more beneficial is always a thing to look into. Especially since this has the potential to conserve water which is a crucial nutrient for us. Polarity is solely responsible for why the Aerogel acts the way it does when it's contacted with oil. Hopefully they'll find a way to make this useful for our society.
Wyatt Ochs
2/26/2014 08:04:31 pm
Understanding polarity gives scientists more knowledge about how certain molecules will react. The scientist would want to make the aerogel a certain polarity so that it can absorb oils and not water. If the scientists didn't have this knowledge, they would not be able to produce a useful aerogel.
Marvin Cortez
2/26/2014 08:38:56 pm
The understanding of polarity is important because in case of a oil or chemical spill it will help clean it. Aerogel sounds like it won't do any help now but I bet that in a couple of years they will have a use for it. This gel is environmental friendly and made out of compressed liquid . Science is always finding new ways to do things faster and in this case it could help clean spills faster.
Dominic Olivera
2/27/2014 12:18:52 am
Because of its polarity, Aerogel can be used to clean up oil spills. This is a good example of the usefulness of this knowledge. Because we have this knowledge, we are able to create these useful, super light aerogels for use in various aspects of science, not just pollution reduction.
Joseph Patrick
2/27/2014 12:22:01 am
An adequate understanding of polarity is essential for the making of aerogel. You can design it to absorb polar and non polar substances. This innovation is a huge step forward in the fight against pollution and bettering the environment we live in.
Dahlia Blell
2/27/2014 01:10:30 am
Understanding the polarity of water is instrumental to the development of aerogel because water is also a solvent and the scientists wouldn't want it to have the ability to break down the materials. The charges of the atoms have to be carefully and correctly balanced so that so that the polarity of the water doesn't effect the absorption of lipids, fats, oils, metal ions, and other materials that can be taken out of water. This patent is going to be extremely revolutionary in the processes of cleaning up and helping the environment because of its filter like properties and biodegradability.
Katy Wood
2/27/2014 01:16:16 am
Aerogel is another advancement to society that we can thank chemistry for. Polarity plays a huge part in how the positive and negative ions interact. The aerogel absorbs unwanted oil which has hundreds of uses for the environment The material is very easy to manipulate and change because of it's chemical makeup. Hopefully this creation will be introduced into society soon.
Maura McDonough
2/27/2014 06:47:12 am
For scientists to discover and experiment in aerogel technology, polarity is a key subject. This meaning, the understanding of attraction to different molecules aides the scientist in uncovering the attraction elements in oil spills but also that repel water. That way, the clean up is clean and easy and leaves the environment as it had been created originally- non polluted.
Sonia Okolo
2/27/2014 06:55:41 am
In this day and age, it is necessary , more than ever, for people all over the world to find ways to protect our planet. Environmentally, it is a fact known to much of the world, that it is becoming more important for people to live "greener" lives. Therefore, it is great that scientists have now found an easier and cheaper way to absorbs these pollutants in our water.This possible solution to many man-made pollution issues plaguing the environment can have a great impact and create a promising future for many generations of healthy living animals and things to come.
Leonardo Colón
2/27/2014 07:59:22 am
Polarity is important because the Aerogel's properties are essentially based off of these principals. Since Gong tells us that the substance can absorb positive metal ions (cations), this would mean that the Aerogel's properties would be inherently negative,as they need to attract the petroleum's cations, which are positive. Without this basic understanding of polarity, the scientists would have very little idea as to find out how to attract the petroleum to the Aerogel. Therefore, in this situation, an understanding of polarity is necessary, if not vital, in creating the Aerogel.
Andriy Etcheverry
2/27/2014 08:33:26 am
Using what is known about polarity in substances, these researchers have created an innovative way to help clean our environment. With growing populations and pollution, I think it is essential for things like this to be created. However, as the article said, there is still much work to be done with the aerogel. The fact that the gel only lasts several cycles could end up being a problem. Also, what would be done with the materials once they are absorbed/cleaned?
Michael Nguyen
2/27/2014 08:34:24 am
Today in our world pollution is a serious problem as far as health to both animals and humans. Technology that would help make a cleaner environment would make a great impact on the health of animals and humans. It's great that scientists have found a "greener" way thats cheap and easy to clean up pollutants.
Tammy Coppadge
2/27/2014 08:40:04 am
The polarity of Aerogels is very useful in that they can strongly absorb metal ions (also known as cations). Aerogels are used in insulation, aerospace materials, and ways to thicken paint. Not only are Aerogels porous, but they are also very light. It's great to hear that there will be a cheaper and "greener" way to clean up oil and chemical spills!
Tammy Coppadge
2/27/2014 08:44:58 am
Although its absorbing capacity decreases with each use, further research could lead to even larger capacity sheets! It would have been great if these Aerogel sheets were produced at the time of the massive BP oil spill! :)
Lauren Laws
2/27/2014 08:50:07 am
In regards to aerogel, polarity plays a key role by attracting chemicals from the water into itself. This discovery can be extremely beneficial to humans health as well as the environment. Hopefully, scientists will continue to further their research and soon it will be used around the world.
Denise Gallant
2/27/2014 09:07:34 am
Today, in our world, new methods to decrease pollution are always on the rise. Aerogel is a great solution to our pollution problem. With many unexpected oil spills that cause great danger to people, animals, and our environment, aerogel is a great innovative advancement that may decrease the chance of disasters that occur on our beautiful planet.
Rita McInerny
2/27/2014 09:07:41 am
The polarity of the Aerogel helps to clean up oil spills (for example) in an environmentally-friendly way. It's great that there can potentially be methods of disposing of pollutants that do no further harm to the environment.
Emily Smid
2/27/2014 09:33:36 am
Understanding polarity is important when making areogel because the product needs to absorb and attract the oil but also repel the water. This product is important because it is a way to clean up oil spills and pollution thoroughly and in an environmentally friendly way. Areogel can absorb up to 100 times its weight and once it is used, it can be drained and reused. I think this product is very interesting and smart because it will make cleaning up oil spills easier and faster.
Tommy Strei
2/27/2014 09:37:34 am
The product aerogel is a very big step in the science fields, especially chemistry. The creators would never have been able to make it without their understanding of polarity, because the product needs to be able to attract a certain substance, while repelling the other. I am very interested to see if this product ever becomes mass produced.
Noel Masih
2/27/2014 09:54:14 am
At this moment in time our planet's environment is so important. This new technology would help us humans, and the animals of this planet.This new way to clean up the spills is great.
Theresa Sirks
2/27/2014 09:58:31 am
In the production of Aerogel, polarity is very important. The positive and negative attractions would allow the oil to be absorbed without absorbing water. This technology would be beneficial for humans and animals.
Annalisa Bell
2/27/2014 09:59:04 am
Scientists need to understand polarity so they can create the Aerogel that would only observe the oil and not water. If scientists were able to make this with the assistance of an excellent knowledge of polarity, it would save a lot of money and be more eco-friendly than what we are doing now. Aerogel would be a giant advancement in our battle against pollution and scientists should continue to study it.
Mary Sprgaue
2/27/2014 10:18:48 am
Polarity is important in the production of aerogel technology. Aerogel is one of the lightest and strongest solids in existence, but also very brittle. An understanding of polarity will help scientist understand why aerogel has such a strong attraction of electrons. Possibly, with this knowledge scientists maybe able to manipulate the aerogel to transform its properties of strength and brittleness to strength and durability. 2/27/2014 10:22:34 am
An understanding of polarity no doubt enabled the scientists to invent the Aerogel in such a way as to absorb oil, but not water; and I must admit I had to do some research. I'm not quite sure as to how the Aerogel itself exactly works, but my guess is that it is made of materials that repel polar molecules, such as water, and attracts non-polar molecules, such as oil. Its porous composition would then enable it to absorb a great amount of the non-polar molecules relative to its size. The Aerogel is nonetheless a very intriguing concept and it would be interesting to see what will become of it in the future.
Isaac Bartolomei
2/27/2014 10:30:32 am
I think that this Aerogel is a crucial development in the mitigation of such future disasters as the BP oil spill. As our footprint on the earth expands, the likelihood of "something going wrong" increases exponentially, and we need things like this to help preserve our environment in the event of more such catastrophes. Research to make sure the Aerogel itself is definitely a must, however, as we do not want the solution to become a new problem.
DJ Stefonsky
2/27/2014 10:31:19 am
With this new 'greener" aerogel technology, cleaning up oil spills will become 'as easy as 1,2,3!' With the understand of polarity, the scientists were able to clean out only the oil from the spills which couldn't be done without that knowledge. With this, we can battle the pollutants of the world, and become a cleaner and safer environment for humans to come.
Kathryn Chau
2/27/2014 10:36:33 am
Understanding polarity will help scientists further research aerogel. By doing this scientists will be able to prevent pollution caused by oil spills.
Sean Patricio
2/27/2014 10:47:46 am
An understanding Polarity allowed scientists to make this new material because water, which is polar, and oil which is non polar need something to separate the two and this new Aerogel technology allows that to happen by absorbing only the oils.
Hannah McNulty
2/27/2014 10:52:47 am
Polarity is as defined by thefreedictionary.com the "iitrinsic polar separation, alignment, or orientation, especially of a physical property". This is important to the production of aerogel because scientists need to understand the attraction between the positive and negative of polarity. With this knowledge of this orientation, scientists are able to figure out how the aerogel and oil/chemicals attract, which thus allows the aerogel to clean up oil spills.
matthew patricio
2/27/2014 10:55:43 am
An understanding of polarity is obviously vital because its the only way for technology like this to come into existence.
Ryan Donohoe
2/27/2014 10:59:16 am
The use of Aerogel technology sounds like a wonderful thing. This technology and use of polarity can help bring a much cleaner environment for us and for wildlife. I hope this can be put into effect and be perfected and used properly. This is great because in my mind, a clean environment is a happy environment(;
Samie Hundessa
2/27/2014 11:09:41 am
This is a great new way to help clean up oil spills. We should always be looking for ways to help keep our environment clean and this new technology is looking very promising. Pollution is becoming a real problem and this sounds like it would help. 2/27/2014 11:17:02 am
The correct utilization of polarity can be quite useful in the successful production of aerogel. Understanding the concepts and principles behind polarity can help scientists determine how to make aerogel a stronger absorbing material. If scientists can employ those techniques into the production of aerogel, it could turn into a widely successful agent in helping the environment and cleaning up oil spills. 2/27/2014 11:37:10 am
I am always surprised by the solutions we come up with these days to solve problems. This aerogel seems to be very efficient and innovative just like the article we read about the sugar battery! Super cool. Regarding polarity, scientists need to have knowledge of this to begin designing aerogel, how it will react when coming into contact with oil, and how well it will absorb the oil. Scientists would be completely lost without this knowledge and would not have a clue on how to make anything absorb any substance whether it be oil or something else!
Victoria Garcia
2/27/2014 11:45:50 am
Without our vast understanding of polarity, the very thought of Aerogel might have never come up. Aerogel is designed to separate water from oil and this can prove to be an asset in keeping our water clean. I think that with further understanding of polarity, scientists can further their research in the use of Aerogel and make improvements to make it even more successful!:D
Joshua cox
2/27/2014 11:48:09 am
I find it very interest how scientist can find so many ways to do things using environmental friendly tools. This is just like the sugar blog someone is thinking outside the box and trying to create more beneficial ways to better us and the environment, except this time they are using aerogel to absorb oil. more power to them!
Meghan Jones
2/27/2014 12:01:26 pm
Aerogel technology would truly be a beneficial technology in todays society. Not only does it offer a more efficent use of resources it also appeals to the eco-friendly approach in science. It could not only reduce the damages caused by disasters such a oil spills or oil rig explosions it could also prevent them all together eventually.
Katherine Duquiatan
2/27/2014 12:07:28 pm
With the understanding of polarity, scientists are able to fully understand and develop such things like aerogel. The creation and use of aerogel will become a great advantage in the 'green' world by allowing safer and faster ways of cleaning up oil spills, as said in the article. Without the full knowledge of polarity, scientists would not have been able to advance to new technologies like aerogel that are eco-friendly.
Gabrielle Gordon
2/27/2014 07:22:35 pm
Aerogel technology would be very useful and beneficial in the world today. It seems like a great way to clean up oil annd other chemical spills in a very eco-friendly way. I think more research should be done on it because pollution is starting to become a little bit of a problem and this sounds like a fantastic solution for it.
Joaquim Santos
2/27/2014 07:47:56 pm
I think that this is very beneficial to the environment. having an aeogel that can absorb different harms to the ocean by using the different positive and negative sides is an effective tool. I can see this being a huge discovery helping out thousands or mabe even millions of sea life.
Kim millspaugh
2/27/2014 07:51:55 pm
Scientists are using their understanding of polarity to go green. They've discovered that aerogel can absorb different liquids such as oil without absorbing the water. This proves very useful and effective in oil spills and can be a fast efficient way to solve the problem of them. Not only is this good for oil but any chemical spill that way we can protect our ecosystem.
Amber Walton
2/27/2014 08:01:10 pm
Ms. Burgess
3/7/2014 04:11:11 am
Really great point, Amber!
Mackenzie Hawley
2/27/2014 08:20:45 pm
With the understanding of polarity and the great need for a new way to clean up the ocean, scientists have found a way to use aerogels to remove oil from water. This is a very green way of cleaning up our oceans. The aerogels not only attract oil, but all metal ions. They can even be used more than once to help save materials and cause less waste.
Matthew Roper
2/28/2014 10:29:51 am
Aerogel technology is an innovative and effective way to clean up oil spills. It uses polarity to draw out oil molecules from the water. Aerogel is a technology that will benefit the environment in ways that no other technology before has.
Rebecca Boak
2/28/2014 08:12:20 pm
I think it is very cool that aerogel can absorb 100 times its own weight! This substance will be very useful for many things and can make a big impact when disasters such as oil spills occur. Its great that the product is also so environmentally friendly, and I'm sure it will be very beneficial in the future!
Stephen Chellis
3/2/2014 04:28:35 am
Aerogels are a great invention that we should put into production. This is an alternate way to clean up oil spills and should be the primary way to do so. The aerogels could also be use for household cleaners, not just the ocean. The expansion of this product is something we need to look at.
Jonathan Madorma
3/3/2014 09:58:36 am
I think that the discovery of aerogel is very efficient and can save plenty of time with cleaning up oil spills. This can help solve many problems. These aerogels can also be used for different methods of household cleaning. 3/5/2014 03:20:00 am
I believe that Aerogel technology has the potential to be great, but I see a few flaws. For one even though it would absorb all of the oil. It would still sink to the bottom of the ocean and if not collected would just be aerogel polluting our oceans. It is a very smart concept, but only if used to its full potential.
Luke Brunsman
3/5/2014 03:21:11 am
The understanding of polarity helped the scientists create a method of capture oil. This method uses the polarity of molecules to attach itself to the spilled oil and chemicals without attaching to the water because of its non-polarity.
Conor Zicht
3/5/2014 03:24:50 am
I think that the use of Aerogel could be useful to help clean up oil spills, but i think that the Aerogel itself would be worse for the environment like how if animals swam and drank it what would it do to them.
Emily Conner
3/9/2014 10:41:59 am
This aerogel is a fascinating break through. It a greener more efficient way of cleaning up oil spills which is great. My only question is does it have any negative side effects such as releasing toxins into the water? If not, the aerogel seems to be pretty handy.
Claudia
3/17/2014 02:30:06 am
Understanding polarity has bee very helpful to researchers. Aerogel is a fascinating invention, especially when being used for the cleaning up of oil spills. Yet I dont think it is completely beneficial because of the affect it could possibly have on the animal whom live in the surrounding waters.
Maria Reese
3/17/2014 05:05:19 am
Since scientists can now use the polarity of substances to their advantage they have been able to invent many new helpful things. Using aerogel is a good step forward to cleaning up bio hazardous spills/oil spills however could this aerogel have negative effects as well? Those who are researching this product must look at all the aspects of aerogel and conclude if it is worth it.
Ryan McFadden
3/25/2014 08:25:27 am
This is a very interesting solution. It is hard to believe that technology is at the level in where it can clean oil spills in the ocean without having to absorb water with it. 3/25/2014 10:27:07 am
Aerogel is a very porous substance. The fact that Aerogel technology has the ability to clean up oil spills is fantastic. It is also able to stop pollution, which is a very good thing.
Michael Mancini
3/26/2014 10:23:56 am
Oil spills can take forever to clean up so this technology can be really helpful in speeding up the clean up process. Aerogel is also said be be greener than the technology they use now.
Ashleigh Conkright
3/26/2014 11:46:18 am
I think Aerogel is very important and helpful because we could use it for our oil spills.
Addison Ludwig
3/26/2014 01:51:56 pm
I think this is very beneficial in the reconstruction of our environment in the future and this Aerogel technology will greatly benefit by reducing oil spills and "cleaning up"
Matthew Samuels
3/27/2014 02:03:22 am
I think that Aerogel technology has great potential, but I see a few flaws. It does absorb oil greatly but if not collected, it would just be aerogel polluting our oceans. It is a very intelligent concept.
Victoria Lizarralde
3/27/2014 10:37:55 am
Aerogel technology appears extremely beneficial. The polarity between the positive and negative is really important. The outcome allows for a smarter and newer way to clean up oil spills without harmful residue or result.
Kelly Taylor
3/27/2014 01:29:51 pm
The inventors of aerogel had to understand polarity to purposefully make it absorb oil and repel water. This new technology could benefit the environment by making it easier to clean up oil spills.
Jimmy Mullen
3/27/2014 04:17:04 pm
Hydrophobic materials are among the coolest things I've ever seen. I wonder how the collection process would work efficiently if it would just sit there after absorbing the oil. They would need to control how much was sent out, lest they loose some and further damage the environment that they're trying to save. Leave a Reply. |