It was discovered in 2013 by scientists at Zhejiang University. Aerographene is essentially aerogel, a synthetic porous predominantly made of air, with a base of graphene, a super-strong carbon allotrope. It does not float away because of the buoyant force.

Can aerogel float on water?

The aerogel was created by a team at the Helsinki University of Technology, and contains tiny fibers known as nano-fibrils, derived from the cellulose in plants. The presence of the fibers allows the aerogel to float using the same principles employed by the water strider's long, skinny feet.

Can aerogel levitate?

Porous materials, such as aerogels, facilitate the fabrication of materials with density less than that of air. However, their apparent density increases because of the air inside the materials, and therefore, they cannot levitate in air under normal conditions.