Applications

Materials for
demanding environments.

Research with a clear purpose: connecting advanced materials to strategic protection, industrial performance and energy-efficient buildings.

Defence & strategic materials

Protection begins
with the material.

Our current proposal focuses on indigenous, lightweight, low-loft insulation fabrics for military personnel in severe-cold, high-altitude environments.

The intended composite combines silica aerogel with ceramic or glass-fibre felt. Research targets include flexibility, water repellency, reduced dust shedding and cost-conscious processing through ambient-pressure drying.

The aim is to reduce the bulk and weight associated with conventional multilayer insulation while developing an application-specific material platform.

Discuss strategic-materials research
Illustrative cold-weather protective jacket and gloves displayed in a controlled cold-environment chamber

Application landscape

One research foundation.
Many paths to impact.

Potential sectors for research outcomes and collaborative development. Each use case requires its own material specification and validation plan.

7 application sectors shown

Strategic & protective

Defence & extreme climates

Indigenous insulation concepts shaped by severe-cold and high-altitude operational requirements.

Explore potential uses
  • Lightweight thermal wear research for Siachen, Drass, Kargil and Ladakh environments.
  • Low-loft composite systems and exploratory functional integration.

Strategic & protective

Aerospace & cryogenics

Material concepts for demanding thermal protection and cryogenic insulation challenges.

Explore potential uses
  • Wraparound concepts for cryogenic propellant tanks and plumbing lines, on board and on the ground.
  • Silica-felt-supported thermal protection concepts for launch-vehicle structures.

Strategic & protective

Rescue & protective systems

Climate-resilient material research for people working in difficult environmental conditions.

Explore potential uses
  • All-in-one material concepts for heat-island conditions, heavy rain and severe cold, including outdoor medical and rescue work.
  • Protective-material research for fire, flood and severe-weather response; qualification required.

Industrial research

Automotive

Material research opportunities in thermal management and lightweight systems.

Explore potential uses
  • Application-led insulation and functional composite development.
  • Material engineering to address temperature, weight and packaging constraints.

Industrial research

Electronics

Functional and thermal material platforms for electronics-related research.

Explore potential uses
  • Thermal engineering and nano-enabled functional materials.
  • Tailored coatings, carbon networks and application-specific composites.

Climate & energy

Energy-efficient buildings

Insulation concepts aimed at reducing heat transfer in hot and cold built environments.

Explore potential uses
  • Potential wall-liner applications for severe-cold and hot climates.
  • Lightweight insulation research for energy-conscious construction.

Industrial research

Chemical industry

Functional porous materials and surface chemistry for industrial research.

Explore potential uses
  • Industrial gas separation and adsorbent development.
  • Catalyst supports and material systems for process engineering.
Defence and strategic materials for extreme environments, with the Advanced Insulation Fabrics panel

Application-led development

Start with a requirement.
Build a research pathway.

Discuss your application