Aerogels are a highly porous and ultralight solid material, making a name for themselves as an up-and-coming fire protection choice for electric vehicles, having been first recognised within the aerospace sector. IDTechEx's report, "Aerogels 2025-2035: Technology, Market, Forecasts", covers the predicted uptake of aerogels over the next decade across a number of markets, including electric vehicles.
The origins and composition of aerogels
Aerogels can be likened to gels without the liquid component, made from approximately 90-95% air, alongside silica, silica composites, or organic materials.
NASA has been one of the main developers of aerogels over the last couple of decades, with applications in Stardust and Rover missions. However, as of 2020, aerogels have been considered a great option for thermal barriers and fire protection materials for electric vehicles, with their low density and thermal insulation qualities. Other factors to consider amongst different types of aerogels include hydrophobicity, compressibility, operational temperature.
The majority of products currently in the aerogel market are silica composite, followed by silica aerogels in powder or granule form. Polymer aerogels are also starting to emerge which can be three times lighter than silica materials and therefore idea for lightweighting batteries in the EV market (e.g. eVTOL) or aerospace, though they typically have a lower operating temperature than inorganic variants and are more expensive. Specific industrial applications will also determine the material type desired.
Aerogels versus other fire protection materials
Aerogels sit in a crossover between cell-level protection materials, and pack-level protection materials. They can perform excellently as both insulators and fire protection materials, as they have low thermal conductivity and density, more so than many other types. Foams and ceramics also sit in a similar position. For fire protection, aerogels made from silica or silica composites would be a preferred choice over polymer composites, as they have a far higher operating temperature. Silica composite materials, however, can see performance affected due to dust implications that arise as a result of their handling.
IDTechEx reports that players within the aerogel space are developing compressible aerogel solutions by compositing aerogels with porous polymer matrices. These are demonstrating strong compression performance in battery charging and discharging cycles, expanding and contracting with battery charging cycles, and the prevention of thermal runaway propagation.
The electric vehicle market and thermal runaway
Following recent large increases of electric vehicle manufacturing due to emissions regulations and increased consumer acceptance, fire protection materials are more important than ever. IDTechEx's report, "Fire Protection Materials for EV Batteries 2025-2035: Markets, Trends, and Forecasts", explores a variety of materials being used and developed within the sector.
Thermal runaway within electric vehicles is an important topic of discussion, which is where space emerges for new and innovative fire protection materials, including aerogels. IDTechEx's master report, "Electric Vehicles: Land, Sea, and Air 2025-2045", covers many different types of electric transport including cars, trains, buses, trucks, LCVs, and two-wheelers, and the number of sales and uptake forecast over the next twenty years.
China was the first country to implement a 5-minute warning for passengers from the beginning of a thermal event to the moment fire or smoke will exit the pack. In April 2025, the country went another step further and announced that its updated regulation, which is expected to be mandated by July 2026, will require no fire or explosion for 2 hours after the initial event. Other regions are still seeing regulation evolving and may see more focus on other parameters such as gas management.
Aerogels are gaining traction, according to IDTechEx, though are more expensive than competing materials, which acts as a barrier to their uptake. They also often require encapsulation, which can make their handling more difficult. However, the benefits of aerogels are still noticed, particularly within the EV sector, where key growth is expected over the next decade.
For more information, visit "Aerogels 2025-2035: Technology, Market, Forecasts" and the wider portfolio of Thermal Management Research Reports and Subscriptions.
