Spinout to commercialise feather-light heat shield materials

Used to protect from high engine or exhaust temperatures, the material for thermal insulation is claimed to have low thermal non-conductivity, low density and low thickness. 

Aegis Fibretech further claims that its 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. 

In a statement, 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 1000oC and could reduce the weight of a fire blanket to that of a couple of sheets of paper.”

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

The method allows for precise control of fibre 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 fibres are made from environmentally friendly materials, making products that are safe and that can be repurposed, which could make the materials an attractive prospect for environmentally conscious sectors such as construction and aerospace.

Aegis FibreTech was spun out by University of Birmingham Enterprise, which worked with the company’s founders Dr Sam Moxon and Dr Gowsh Poologasundarampillai to identify markets for this novel material through Innovate UK’s ICURE process.