Airgel is a material with exceptional characteristics that was used until recently for aerospace and extreme applications only because of its high cost.
The material was invented already in the 1930 but only now it is possible to produce it at an acceptable cost. Airgel is also a very light material, its structure is made of silica, but about 97% of its volume consists of air.
The air trapped in its structure therefore makes it one of the best insulating materials with a thermal conductivity of only 0.013 W / (m²K).
Polystyrene, nowadays widely used for thermal coats, has a far higher thermal conductivity of 0.034 W / (m²K).
Thermal insulation table for building insulation
Material |
W / (m²K) |
Aerogel panels |
0.013 - 0.015 |
Extruded polystyrene XPS |
0.028 - 0.036 |
Glass wool panels |
0.031 - 0.048 |
Rock wool panels |
0.034 - 0.048 |
Wood fiber panels |
0.044 - 0.065 |
Other advantages are the wide temperature range of use, ranging from -200 to +200 ° C, hydrophobia, breathability and resistance to UV rays.
It also has a noticeable performance retention over time combined with good dimensional stability.
Given its performance, the thicknesses of the panels can be very limited, simplifying the creation of internal coats.
Price per sqm Aerogel
Today you can buy Aerogel panels coupled with plasterboard or mattresses and slabs. The material still has a fairly high cost but that will surely decrease with the greater diffusion around the 70 €/m² .
