Here's some hot research for you

The development of new high-temperature-resistant materials could heat up soon, thanks to some recent research by Dr. Nicholas Leventis and his colleagues in Missouri S&T's chemistry department.

Working with a professor at Oklahoma State University, Leventis and company created a fast-reacting explosive by mixing it at the nanoscopic level. While their experiments could result in more spectacular firework displays, Leventis says the method used to mix chemicals at that tiny scale is more important. The method could lead to new strong porous materials for high-temperature applications, from thermal insulation in jet engines to industrial chemical reactors.

Leventis and his colleagues reported their findings in the April 8 Journal of the American Chemical Society. We also reported on their red-hot research.

Burn, baby, burn: Pictured are two versions of the aerogel -- the fuel-only version, which didn't ignite (left), and the fuel-mixed-with-oxidizer version (right). | Photo courtesy of Dr. Nicholas Leventis