Patent ID: 8470176

Claim:
An apparatus adapted for separation or purification of a fluid material comprising: a sealed housing having an housing inlet, a housing outlet and a sealed first side wall; at least one aerogel casing encapsulating an aerogel foam, mounted inside said housing, said aerogel casing having an upper surface with a casing inlet, a lower surface with a casing outlet, and a casing side surface, said upper surface being disposed to face said housing inlet; said lower surface being disposed to face said housing outlet, and said casing side surface being facing said first side wall; wherein said aerogel foam is made of an aerogel material, and said aerogel material forms a covalently bonded porous three dimensional network, and a plurality of 1-2500 nanometer nanoparticles specific for separation or purification of said fluid material are stored inside said porous three dimensional network, thereby in use said fluid material flows from said housing inlet through said casing inlet, said aerogel foam, said nanoparticles, said casing outlet and said housing outlet.