Aerogel is a kind of low-density solid gel material with three-dimensional nanonetwork porous structure. In its internal structure, the material only accounts for about 10% of the total volume, while the gas occupies the remaining 90%. Due to this structure, the aerogel has the characteristics of low thermal conductivity, high temperature resistance, hydrophobic, sound insulation and so on. 

1, silicon aerogel insulation material
The most common and most used for experimental and practical applications is silica aerogel. Silica aerogels appear blue because the sky is blue. Blue is produced when white light meets silicone molecules of the aerogel, which are larger than the wavelength of the light. Aerogel scatters or reflects light at shorter wavelengths more easily than longer wavelengths. Because blue and purple light have the shortest wavelengths, they scatter more than the other colors of the visible spectrum. We think of scattered wavelengths as colors, and since our eyes are more sensitive to blue wavelengths, we never see purple wavelengths.

2, carbon aerogel insulation material

Unlike the smoke-blue silica aerogel, the carbon-based aerogel is black and feels like charcoal to the touch. What they lack on the outside, they make up for on the high surface is electrical ground guidance. These properties make carbon aerogel useful in supercapacitors, fuel cells and desalination systems.

3, metal aerogel insulation material
Metal oxide aerogels are made from metal oxides and are used as catalysts for chemical conversion. They are also used to produce explosives and carbon nanotubes, and these aerogels can even magnetize iron oxides and chromium, among others. Metal oxide aerogels differ from their more common silica in that they are very bright in color. When made into aerogel, iron oxide causes the aerogel's trademark color to rust. Metallic aerogels are dark green or blue. Each type of metal oxide causes the aerogel to have a slightly different color.
Although there are many kinds of aerogels, and each has its own unique advantages and applications, their common characteristics are lighter, more pressure resistant, more porous, and stronger adsorption capacity than traditional materials, which is an important direction to replace traditional materials in the future.