Number 149 (Story #5), October 28, 1993 by Phillip F. Schewe and Ben Stein CARBON AEROGEL properties are in many respects better than those of their inorganic counterparts. Aerogels are microcellular foam materials; they are quite porous, low in density (0.1 g/cm**3), and have an area-to-mass ratio of 400-1000 m**2/g. Organic aerogels produced by scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Lab have an extremely low thermal conductivity, 0.012 watts per meter-kelvin, have greater strength and are better electrical conductors than inorganic aerogels, making them potentially useful as battery electrodes. Their pore size, as small as 5 nm, may make them valuable as gas filters. (Energy & Technology Review, May 1993.)