Aerogels 2019-2029: Technologies, Markets and Players provides the most comprehensive and authoritative view of the global aerogel market, giving detailed ten-year market forecasts segmented by application and both material type and form, including full company profiles based on IDTechEx's interview-based primary research. The research within this report values the market at present at just over $220 million and anticipates it to marginally exceed $530 million by 2029 for the aerogel manufacturers.

There has been seemingly no limit to the hype and over-inflated proposed market infiltration surrounding the properties and proposed applications for this class of material. To date, the high price-tag has meant that the unique properties aerogels possess have only been valued by a few industries. The market leaders, Aspen Aerogel, have lost over $300 million across the past decade, which alongside others, has in part enabled this market to finally come of age and allow for a more diverse profitable market to be on the cusp of emerging.

Global silica aerogel application forecast by industry sector. Aerogels 2019-2029: Technologies, Markets and Players. (Source: IDTechEx)

This report details the current status of all the different types and forms of pure and composite aerogel products. The most prevalent of which is silica aerogel with the key property being very high thermal insulation (λ = 15-25 mW/m.K), the commercial applications to date centre almost exclusively around silica composite panels and blankets for their use in thermal management. However, given the abundance and cost of traditional insulators manufacturers have been unable to justify the high price on the superior insulating properties alone. Instead they have looked to the added value of the properties these materials possess be it fire retardancy, low density, hydrophobicity, strength or electrical/acoustic insulation.

IDTechEx has identified organic aerogels, notably polymer panels, as a rapidly emerging area of commercial activity. Many of the promising players will reach production capacity over the 10-year period and there is already significant interest from large end-users across a range of sectors from transportation to building and construction. The aerogel tree below shows the range of materials that have been explored by the aerogel community and will be outlined in the report.

The report also probes key drivers for aerogel products, with insights extending from the innovative multi-functional properties they offer through to legislative incentives concerning restrictions in energy consumption and fire safety particularly within the building and transportation sector. Pricing forecasts are provided for all different types and are predicted to undergo significant shifts as increased capacities and emerging manufacturing processes are anticipated.

Finally, the report looks further into the future, describing the cutting-edge applications and manufacturing techniques. Many applications are reaching a peak of expectation, whereas some have only recently seen the initial trigger that could spawn a future direction for the market. The research also extensively compares and discusses batch and continuous manufacturing processes for both supercritical and ambient pressure drying techniques. This is with consideration to both established methods as well as emerging companies and relevant university research.