Scintilex, LLC STTR Phase II Award, April 2020

Aerogel of high optical quality is needed for hadron identification in nuclear physics experiments in the momentum range 3 - 8 GeV/c, where other techniques are not effective. The large-volume aerogel Cherenkov detectors for the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) and those in three halls at the Jefferson Lab require high-quality, hydrophobic aerogel material. This Phase I/II project addresses this need with the development of aerogels with a refractive index as low as 1.008 to identify particles at the higher momenta and with increased tile sizes up to 20 x 20 x 3 cm3 while maintaining good optical and hydrophobic properties. Phase I established the fabrication techniques for producing small batches (10-20 tiles) of aerogel with refractive index