Even in 2014, MASERG won a special award for Start Cup Campania for the project ASIST – Aerogel Super Insulation SisTem

This is the project’s main idea: production and sale of thermal insulating panels in aerogel for buildings. Taking advantage of the sol-gel technology, we created a new type of insulation, thinner than conventional insulation materials currently used.

By using an ultra-thin aerogel insulating panel it is possible to improve the energy performance, by reducing heat dissipation, which provides greater functionality due to the efficient use of space and heat. Aerogel is a lightweight material, obtained through the gelation of silica-based components in a solvent. Through the elimination of the solvent, the material has a porosity up to 90%. The presence of a dense nanopores network, slows the transport of heat and thus provides a very low thermal conductivity and high thermal insulation. These features make the aerogel a perfect solution for all the applications of thermal insulation in buildings. However, this innovative material has been little used in buildings. So far, a transformation technology that allows to obtain insulation panels from these materials, extremely difficult to manipulate, is not available. To overcome this limitation, the business project will be targeted to incorporate the gel into a fibrous structure (glass fibers, rock wool, polymer resins) in order to provide greater mechanical strength to the final panel. According to the mission of the proposal team, the main aim is to ensure the maximum satisfaction of the customers, providing them with high-quality and safe products, commercial transparency and after-sales technical service.

It is a material only three times heavier than air and a thousand times less dense than glass, able to withstand high temperatures, and with precious insulating characteristics, thanks to the "close structure”  of crystalline lattice, which prevents air circulation and then the dispersion of heat by convection, while silica low thermal conductivity reduces heat losses by conduction.

Team Leader: Mrs. Grazia Accardo
Components: Dr. Claudio Ferone,  Mr. Domenico Frattini, Mr. Giovanni Morieri, Mrs. Luciana Cimino