Archive for category: News

In June the aerogel-it team came together in Hamburg to celebrate 2 years since the founding of the company in 2021. Due to different working locations and full schedules it has not been easy to organize physical meetings involving everyone – and the team enjoyed the get-together a lot!

A good opportunity to recap since a lot has been achieved by the team and our partners over that time:

1. We continue to feel that aerogels will play in important role in the future. The megatrends such energy efficiency and decarbonization/ defossilization we saw back in 2021 are steadily moving the markets in our direction.

2. We are actively working on all verticals foreseen in 2021 with our global partner network. We have established the required market access. We are on an excellent path towards becoming a leading aerogel manufacturer and solutions provider.

3. Market feedback on our aerogel products, especially the 100% bio-based lignin aerogel has been overwhelming from all angles – the press, potential customers and potential partners. It shows us that we are on the right track with our aerogel solutions for decarbonization and energyefficiency.

4. We signed multiple MoUs and first supply agreements with our customers and partners and more are in preparation. Unfortunately we have not been able to communicate all of them but that will change. Our world-class legal team is doing an excellent job that we are very thankful for.

5. Sales are picking up and help us to finance our activities. In parallel, attracting investment for our first plant has not been easy. But it has been an exciting learning curve and we are glad that we did not commit too early. We can pursue our strategy unimpeded while going for the best matches.

6. We are super happy about receiving first funding from the DBU (Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt) for our green aerogel work. More public funding is upcoming 2024+.

7. After 1500+ hours of work between us and our partners, the basic engineering of our first multi-purpose aerogel production plant is almost complete. We created a robust concept based on next-generation technology and digital optimization. We are already working on further step-change technology for follow-up plants to make aerogels even more affordable.

8. The collaboration with Prof. Irina Smirnova and her Hamburg University of Technology group has been great (as in the previous 10+ years). Important R&D results have been achieved. The new pilot plant is close to commissioning. New exciting aerogel product lines that we could not have imagined before are coming into existence. Multiple patent applications were filed and more are in preparation.

9. Local business support in our area such as from WIGOS (Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft Osnabrücker Land mbH) and the ICO (InnovationsCentrum Osnabrück) has been stellar.

Thank you very much to Marc, Dirk, Alberto, Raman, Pavel, Dr. Wulf, Marcus and to all our partners!

With the aim of taking the worldwide first lignin-based bioaerogels developed by aerogel-it to the next level, aerogel-it and Fibenol have collaborated to use the Fibenol biomaterial LIGNOVA as a highly sustainable raw material.

Joining forces with Fibenol has enabled aerogel-it to design a bioaerogel based on a new generation of lignin now produced by Fibenol directly from biomass. Like established silica aerogel products, lignin bioaerogel provides superinsulation properties and reduces the heat transfer within the tiny nanometer-sized pores compared to conventional insulation materials. Lignin bioaerogel has a significantly reduced CO2 impact of up to 95% while being 100% bio-based. aerogel-it has undertaken research and development efforts to ensure the sustainability of their products by utilizing raw materials from local natural and non-food sources.

The collaboration of aerogel-it and Fibenol is setting a great example for other companies to use biomaterials in their value chain. Though the collaboration is still in its early stages and further research and development is needed, this is a major stride forward for the industry. The use of these biomaterials can result in more sustainable products with improved thermal insulation properties and reduced CO2 impact. Companies should strive to utilize as much biomaterial as possible without compromising on product quality and sustainability. By using these biomaterials in their value chain, companies can reduce their environmental footprint and positively contribute to the green revolution.

About Fibenol: Fibenol implements new cutting-edge technology to produce bio-based raw materials like lignin, wood sugars, and specialty cellulose from wood residues. Fibenol’s innovative fractionation process converts more than 90% of woody biomass into high-value materials with minimal environmental impact. These sustainable bio-based materials can be used as replacements for fossil-based chemicals to produce cosmetics, plastics, construction materials, and many other products. Fibenol is pioneering groundbreaking solutions to enable industries to transition away from fossil resources and move towards a more sustainable future.

More information: www.fibenol.com

Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/Fibenol

About aerogel-it: aerogel-it is a German company that specializes in the development, manufacturing and scaling of aerogel materials. The company focusses mainly on bio-based product lines for thermal insulation but also other applications in the Pharma, Medical Care and Cosmetics sectors. aerogel-it utilizes innovative technology to create a variety of aerogel materials with superior thermal insulation properties. They strive to produce the highest performing aerogel materials – inspired by nature. At the same time aerogel-it leverages its globally leading aerogel manufacturing know-how to design next-generation production processes leading to lower aerogel cost – an important factor for their widespread acceptance.

More information: www.aerogel-it.de

Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/aerogel-it

After 5 years, Marc and Dirk recently visited their first SLENTITE® interior insulation project to see how the polyurethane aerogel material had performed as insulation material in a historical building over this time.

The owners had renovated a historical brick villa in Hamburg and had chosen to tackle several challenges with the thin SLENTITE® boards: the narrow spaces behind the original radiators and in the window reveals as well as several walls in the basement (see photos).

Marc and Dirk were delighted to hear that the water vapor-diffusive aerogel improved the room (sensation) climate considerably. And the owners were very happy since they could reduce the heating energy consumption!

As had been predicted by buildings physics experts, SLENTITE had worked perfectly – the most powerful, space-saving and easy to install solution for interior insulation and energetic retrofit currently available! Check out our application guide here.

#energyefficiency #insulationmaterials #historicalbuildings