Aerogels have gained significant attention as fire protection material for electric vehicles (EVs) with the market for EV batteries growing nearly 20-fold between 2021 to 2024. Due to their exceptionally low thermal conductivity, low density, hydrophobicity, fire retardancy, and acoustic insulation, aerogels have historically seen steady growth across LNG, industry, energy infrastructure, and several other markets. More recently, polymer aerogels have started to emerge for ultra-lightweight applications that require mechanical durability, across aerospace and aircraft (e.g. eVTOL), apparel, radio-frequency applications, and more. IDTechEx evaluated all of these markets and forecasts the overall aerogels market to grow at a CAGR of 12.2% from 2025 to 2035.

 

IDTechEx's report on the aerogels market offers a comprehensive and independent analysis of the global aerogel market giving detailed ten-year market forecasts segmented by application and material type. The materials covered include polymer, silica, and silica composite blankets, pads, sheets, foams, and a range of other form factors. The report also benchmarks commercially available aerogels across several applications, including thermal barriers for EV batteries, oil & gas, building & construction, and more. Assessment of aerogel applications is also included for other markets such as energy storage, electronic appliances, daylighting & windows, and many more.

 

IDTechEx has been studying the aerogel industry for many years with technical experts conducting an extensive number of primary interviews to bring the reader a granular and detailed assessment of this industry.

EV Batteries Will Be the Dominant Application for Aerogels in The Future

Historically, aerogels have experienced steady market growth with progress being somewhat slower than some would expect, though this has largely been due to competition with lower-cost incumbent insulation materials. However, since 2020, the emergence of aerogels as fire protection material for electric vehicle (EV) batteries has provided a new and rapidly growing opportunity for the aerogel market.

 

As standards evolve and the EV market continues to grow there will be an increased focus on thermal runaway propagation prevention, fire protection, and providing longer escape times for vehicle passengers. IDTechEx predicts that this will be the dominant application for aerogels within the forecast period, with significant adoption in China by players such as BYD and CATL, but also globally with adoption from GM, Toyota, and Audi to name a few. The report provides benchmarking of aerogels against other fire protection materials for EV batteries and an analysis of players and partnerships.

 

Chinese Manufacturers Driving Expansion in Global Production Capacity

IDTechEx has been monitoring the growth of both global and regional aerogel manufacturing capacity since 2015. China has become increasingly dominant in this sector, with numerous players rapidly ramping up production over the past few years. According to IDTechEx estimates, China currently accounts for approximately 97% of the global production capacity, with several major expansions planned.

The report includes a comprehensive assessment of key aerogel manufacturers such as Aspen Aerogels, Cabot, IBIH, Nano Tech, Armacell, LG Chem, and several others, covering their capacity, products, production processes, planned expansions, and more. Additionally, it features an extensive patent analysis, highlighting key assignees, applications, and targeted regions.

 

Historically, the high cost of aerogels compared to incumbent insulation materials has hindered their widespread growth. IDTechEx's report delves into how the industry is addressing the challenge to lower manufacturing costs through process innovations, and alternative manufacturing methods.Coverage and analysis of manufacturing processes and drying technologies such as supercritical drying, ambient pressure drying, and freeze drying are included, with advances from start-up companies, and relevant academic or industrial research. There also remains a constant interest in new materials, utilizing sustainable or recycled feedstocks, and ambitious manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing. Overall, IDTechEx forecasts the aerogels market to grow 3.2-fold at a CAGR of 12.2% from 2025-2035.