Aerogels are highly porous solids formed from a gel in which the liquid is replaced with a gas. An Aerogel's capacity to insulate is unmatched, says Aspen Aerogel Inc., Northborough, Mass., (www.aspenaerogels.com) because it is over 95% air, making it, some say, the worlds lightest solid. Insulation blankets of the material are two to eight times more effective than existing insulations, which means it takes less space and weight to do an equivalent job.

UFP Technologies, Georgetown, Mass., (ufptech.com), which makes packaging materials, will convert Aerogels into finished products. In addition, using UFP materials with Aerogels can provide new products and services for future packaging and insulation applications.