Search Prime Grants

DESC0025249

Project Grant

Overview

Grant Description
Improved U-factor of aerogel insulated glass units
Funding Goals
NA""
Place of Performance
Waltham, Massachusetts 02453-8342 United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Aeroshield Materials was awarded Project Grant DESC0025249 worth $200,000 from the Office of Science in July 2024 with work to be completed primarily in Waltham Massachusetts United States. The grant has a duration of 1 year and was awarded through assistance program 81.049 Office of Science Financial Assistance Program. The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity FY 2024 Phase I Release 2.

SBIR Details

Research Type
SBIR Phase I
Title
Improved U-Factor of Aerogel Insulated Glass Units
Abstract
Windows lose more than $20 billion dollars of energy each winter in the US, which drives regulatory bodies like EnergyStar to become more and more restrictive on window insulation requirements. New EnergyStar 7.0 regulations cannot be met with traditional products like double-pane windows. This creates a challenge for manufacturers who have to choose whether to switch to thicker, heavier, and more expensive triple-pane windows (which can require significant retooling and capital expenses to update existing manufacturing lines) or to incorporate new technologies that improve double-pane windows (like AeroShieldĺs ultra-clear aerogel). At AeroShield Materials, we are developing an ultra-clear aerogel (a super-insulating porous material) that provides next-generation insulation performance. By placing a sheet of AeroShieldĺs silica aerogel between two panes of glass to create an aerogel double-pane window, we can achieve a center-of-glass U-factor as low as of 0.10 BTU/h/ft2/F. Just 1/8th inch of aerogel enables a product 50% more insulating than gas-filled double-pane windows, reaching performance that beats triple-pane products and can enable future EnergyStar targets. The unique blend of high clarity and insulation allows AeroShieldĺs product to impact a commodity market like windows if we can achieve this performance at adequately low manufacturing costs. In this Phase I proposal, AeroShield will conduct R&D on each step of our manufacturing process to enable production of more insulating aerogel sheets, while also exploring the design of aerogel insulated windows to further improve performance by leverage existing strategies such as insulating gases and low-emissivity coatings in conjunction with our aerogel. We project quadruple-pane window performance is feasible within a double-pane unit using our material. With these Phase I targets, we will achieve quadruple-pane performance at a fraction of the costs. Our models show that we can be 5x cheaper than triple-panes and even more so for quadruple-panes, and that this price could enable adoption of cost-effective windows that would lead to energy savings of 1.2 quadrillion BTUs by 2030. This work will also help enable other potential markets that have huge potential energy savings and green-house-gas reductions if transparent insulation were cost-effective, such as transparent doors for refrigeration and ovens, low-concentration solar thermal receivers for industrial process heat, and green-house agriculture.
Topic Code
C58-14a
Solicitation Number
DE-FOA-0003202

Status
(Ongoing)

Last Modified 10/8/24

Period of Performance
7/22/24
Start Date
7/21/25
End Date
82.0% Complete

Funding Split
$200.0K
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$200.0K
Total Obligated
100.0% Federal Funding
0.0% Non-Federal Funding

Activity Timeline

Interactive chart of timeline of amendments to DESC0025249

Additional Detail

Award ID FAIN
DESC0025249
SAI Number
None
Award ID URI
None
Awardee Classifications
Small Business
Awarding Office
892430 SC CHICAGO SERVICE CENTER
Funding Office
892401 SCIENCE
Awardee UEI
KND8RVT51VF9
Awardee CAGE
8JSK8
Performance District
MA-05
Senators
Edward Markey
Elizabeth Warren
Modified: 10/8/24