Feather-light ‘heat shield’ material can improve efficiency and safety in cars, electric cars and motorsport

New spin-out Aegis Fibretech is commercializing a novel ultra-lightweight insulation to improve efficiency and safety in cars, electric cars and motorsport.

Used to protect from high engine or exhaust temperatures, the ideal material for thermal insulation has low thermal conductivity, low density and low thickness.

Aegis Fibretech materials are 10 times less thermally conductive than advanced materials currently used in the automotive industry, and 100 times less dense than ceramic fire blanket.

Dr. Sam Moxon, CEO of Aegis FibreTech, said, “Aegis FibreTech’s materials are so light you can’t feel the weight of them. They provide an effective heat-shielding barrier to temperatures of up to 1000^oC and could reduce the weight of a fire blanket to that of a couple of sheets of paper.

“We expect to redefine industry standards for thermal insulators. Space and weight-saving are critical considerations in the automotive industry, where running efficiency and personal safety are paramount, and tight engine compartments mean every gram counts.”

The materials are made by an innovative electrospinning process developed by Dr. Gowsihan (Gowsh) Poologasundarampillai at the University of Birmingham, which uses an electrical force to create ultra-fine nanofibers by drawing threads of polymer from solution.

The method allows for precise control of fiber thickness and structure, and produces a wide range of materials with unique properties, from a flexible ‘cotton-wool’ consistency, multi-layered flattened fabric, to robust woven sheets as thin as 0.5mm.

The electrospun fibers are made from environmentally friendly materials, making products that are safe and can be repurposed, which could make the materials an attractive prospect for environmentally conscious sectors such as construction and aerospace.