GreenShift Invests in Aerogel Composite

Aerogel Composite, Inc. (ACI) is a development stage materials science company with proprietary technologies involving meso-porous carbon aerogel composites.  Aerogels are solid-state substances similar to gels but where the liquid phase is replaced with gas. Aerogels have a highly dendritic tree-like structure and rank among the world's lowest density solids. They have a remarkably high surface area and are very porous and light. Their microstructure and physical properties can be manipulated at the nanometer scale by selection of raw material and modification of manufacturing conditions. Aerogel products can be engineered to exhibit desired thermal, acoustic, mechanical and/or chemical properties. Aerogel materials can be produced as monoliths, thin-films, powders, or micro-spheres to respond to given application requirements.

ACI has patented nanotechnology for the preparation of aerogel composites for a wide variety of applications. Applications of ACI's Hyrogel(TM) carbon aerogel supported catalysts are planned to include hydrogen powered stationary and mobile PEM fuel cells, direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) for portable electronic devices such as laptop computers and cell phones, and other metal oxide aerogel supported catalyst for catalytic converters for gasoline and diesel powered vehicles and other internal combustion engines. Aeogels have the potential for reducing the precious metal content of fuel cells, batteries and catalysts by 90% over prevailing levels.

GreenShift Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: GSHF) is a publicly traded business development company (BDC) whose mission is to develop and support companies and technologies that facilitate the efficient use of natural resources and catalyze transformational environmental gains. Today GSHF announced that it had purchased a 25% interest in ACI, and receive certain commercial rights in return for GreenShift's investment, with an option to purchase an additional 5% of ACI.

There are three major types of aerogels: inorganic, organic and carbon aerogels. Inorganic aerogels are obtained by supercritical drying of highly cross-linked hydrogels synthesized by polycondensation of metal alkoxides. Silica aerogels are the most well known inorganic aerogels. Organic aerogels are synthesized by supercritical drying of the gels obtained by the sol-gel polycondensation reaction of resorcinol with formaldehyde in aqueous solutions. Carbon aerogels are prepared by pyrolyzing organic aerogels in an inert atmosphere.

Carbon aerogels are electrically conductive and have very high porosity of over 50%, with pore diameters ranging from 2 to 50 nanometers, and extremely high surface areas ranging between 400-1000 square meters per gram.

The unique nanostructure of the ACI carbon aerogel offers higher electrochemical surface areas, better mass transport, reduced or eliminated ionic contamination and price competitiveness. This translates into both lower cost and higher performance when applied to current membranes on the market. ACI's initial products are high performance electro-catalysts for fuel cells, non-electro-catalysts for emissions control, and aerogel materials for energy storage.

ACI's electro-catalyst products achieve equivalent catalytic performance at one half to one tenth the precious metal loading commonly achieved by current technology. These catalysts are the primary cost drivers in all of the markets ACI is addressing. ACI's technology directly addresses the cost of fuel cell systems by lowering the platinum cost in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA).

For example, ACI's Hyrogel(TM) Carbon Aerogel Supported Platinum Catalyst (CASPC) reduces the platinum requirements of hydrogen powered proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells by over 90% from recently prevailing levels. Based on industry feedback, ACI believes that its electro-catalyst is the most efficient and most economical PEM electro-catalyst available today.

ACI has also produced catalyst coated membrane (CCMs) or three piece membrane electrode assemblies ("MEAs") for PEM fuel cells, incorporating its proprietary Hyrogel(TM) electro-catalyst. These CCMs/MEAs have achieved a performance of one watt per square centimeter, requiring less than 0.1 milligram per square centimeter of platinum on the cathode. Based on industry data, ACI believes that this performance is unmatched.

Additionally, in catalytic emissions control systems, ACI's technology reduces precious metal loading and therefore cost. In 2003, the $4 billion market for emission control catalysts utilized $3.19 billion of platinum group metals. This market is expected to grow significantly due to increased regulation, stricter enforcement and rising demand for diesel automobiles in Europe and the U.S.

Other potential applications of ACI's platform technology include materials for ultra-capacitor electrodes, hydrogen and energy storage, catalyst for fuel reformers, specific gas sensors, biosensors, and desalination of water.

Resource:  GreenShift Executes Agreement to Invest in Aerogel Composite, GreenShift Press Release, November 22, 2005

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Comments

[husky air compressor]

I'm working on a green house project. I'm really interested by this Aerogel compozit and I really would like to know if it's reliable for single housing application.
thanks a lot!
Husky air compressor
Husky air compressor parts

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