The ESA Spark marks the first funding project in which we work on the insulation material to be integrated in a multilayer technology.
It became clear that FreyZein’s outstanding technology would revolve around creating mono-material, cellulosic solutions tailored for applications looking at extreme performance, encompassing loose paddings, battings, and non-woven fabrics.
That’s where the ESA Spark project and prototyping with nanocellulose-based Aerogels come into play.
Aerogels are born looking at Space applications, cellulose nano-engineered lightweight Aerogels are the sustainable evolution of those used in the 80s and 90s of the last century, potentially usable in composites and functional material solutions for the Aerospace industry and Space exploration: fabrics, films, coatings, membranes, foams, and in the future, 3D-printable.
These nanocellulose-based materials boast unparalleled thermal insulation capabilities while retaining the flexibility and breathability crucial for extreme environments like Mount Everest or Space.
What sets these thermal insulation materials embedding Aerogels apart is their ability to achieve equivalent or superior insulation performance with a fraction of the thickness and weight compared to traditional materials.
The ESA Spark project is aiming for the following goals:
- Nanocellulose Aerogel Formulation
- Aerogel integration into textile structures and its evaluation
- Construction of a full-scale prototype garment
