HARMLESS @ AIA Forum 2023
The aerogel world is undergoing rapid development. On the industry side, new players are entering the market. New aerogel producers, including start-ups but also established materials manufacturers, introduce their products, fight for market share, or aim to develop new applications and markets. In the meantime, traditional manufacturers are also innovating. Silica aerogel remains the important product, but polymer and biopolymer aerogels are becoming available as well. Other companies focus on developing process technologies or aerogel-based product development. On the academic side, there has been a veritable explosion of research into understanding traditional aerogel materials and applications, as well as new aerogel materials combinations, new precursors and sustainable raw materials, new aerogel synthesis routes and new potential applications.
From 31st May to 2nd June 2023 took place the 2nd Aerogel Industry-Academia Forum – AIA Forum 2023., an event that gathers stakeholders from industry and academia to discuss about recent advancements on aerogels. HARMLESS couldn’t miss this event, as one of our case studies is on aerogels. Veronica di Battista (BASF) gave an oral presentation in the session “Biomedical applications, Safety and Aerogel characterization” with title “Assessing the dust released from commercially available inorganic aerogel mats: occupational release scenarios simulations and hazard implications”. Her talk on aerogel’s Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design raised awareness between the SMEs and startups attending the event, who became interested about HARMLESS project and its future outcomes, i.e., the Decision Support System (DSS).
