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Cabot and
Kalwall®Announce First Commercial Project Using New Nanogel® Translucent Aerogel Insulation New Aerogel Product Offers Outstanding Thermal Insulation and Light Transmission |
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| Boston, Mass. and Manchester, N.H. -
(September 19, 2002) - Finally, after years of research and testing, a process
that allows a less costly, large-scale manufacture of aerogel materials has
been developed by Cabot Corporation (NYSE:CBT). Aerogels--the world's lightest solid material--has been used for many years by the science and space communities in applications where there are extreme demands for thermal insulation, light transmission, sound and shock absorption. Although highly valued for its insulation and light transmission properties, aerogel's high cost and limited availability restricted its use to specialized areas such as the space shuttle and Mars 2000 Pathfinder Mission. Cabot today launched Nanogel, the world's first commercial translucent silica aerogel product designed for the daylighting market. In its first application of the new Nanogel product, Cabot is working with Kalwall® Corporation, the leading manufacturer of translucent skylight, wall panel and window systems, to incorporate the translucent insulation into its panels. Nanogel Translucent is the brand name for the nanoporous thermal insulation material manufactured exclusively by Cabot through a patented process. Nanogel Translucent is an extremely lightweight and versatile material that delivers thermal insulating and light transmitting factors two to four times better than other products currently on the market, while acting as a diffuser to distribute the light uniformly. Nanogel is also a more effective sound insulator compared to glass fiber materials used today in skylights and translucent wall elements. It is permanently hydrophobic and therefore is moisture and mildew resistant. The Kalwall+ Nanogel panels are made with 2-3/4" (70mm) composite grid frames that are covered on both sides with high performance fiberglass reinforced faces to form a structural panel. Kalwall is producing the specialty translucent panels that will incorporate the Nanogel insulation inside. A leader in the architectural industry for nearly 50 years, Kalwall was the first to develop completely effective UV resistant systems, and the first to invent curved daylight-insulating panels. Kalwall translucent systems have been featured in numerous award-winning buildings worldwide. "Nanogel's unique properties allow greater flexibility in building design," said Robert Keller, founder of Kalwall. "The high thermal, and acoustic insulation features of the material, combined with its ability to diffuse light and improve the aesthetics of a building, have been unattainable using traditional insulating materials. "U" values of .05 (R-20) are now possible along with a wide range of "museum quality" lighting levels. We believe that Kalwall with Nanogel is ideally positioned to become an industry standard for use in a variety of building applications," Keller said. Kalwall will install the first Nanogel filled panels in a swimming pool enclosure in Manchester N.H. This project is scheduled for completion in November 2002. "We're delighted to partner with Kalwall for this project," said Dr. David Kaul, General Manager of Cabot's Nanogel business unit. "Their expertise is in producing architectural panels for every type of space where museum-quality natural daylighting is desired. With increased environmental regulations and a growing market for materials that help conserve energy, we're receiving positive reactions to the value of Nanogel from architects, builders and building owners in many segments of the construction industry," Kaul said. "In addition studies have long proven that people working in natural daylight environments are more productive, happier, and healthier. We believe that Nanogel's unique combination of properties for high light transmission, thermal insulation, moisture and sound resistance make it an ideal daylighting material for any geographic location," said Kaul. Nanogel State-of-the-Art Technology Cabot is the first to develop a viable process for the commercial manufacture of aerogels using its expertise in modifying the surface chemistry of particles to achieve desired performance. Nanogel Translucent is produced using a continuous aerogel manufacturing process by first forming a hydrogel from sodium silicate and then surface modifying it to make it hydrophobic, and finally, drying the gel through an ambient pressure drying process. Cabot will begin supplying Nanogel from its new, state-of-the-art aerogel manufacturing facility in Frankfurt, Germany in October 2002. Translucent insulation for architectural walls designed for the daylighting market is the first market. Other applications, such as spray-on insulation for automobiles, as well as thermal and acoustical insulation for a variety of applications are currently being developed. About Cabot Corporation Cabot Corporation is a global specialty chemicals and materials company, headquartered in Boston, Mass. Cabot's major products are carbon black, fumed silica, inkjet colorants, and tantalum capacitor materials. Cabot is a leader in the production of nanostructured, sub-micron particles, comprising carbon, metals and metal oxides. These particles enhance the performance of a variety of products, including rubber reinforcement, rheology control in adhesives, pigmentation in inks, polishing and capacitance for microelectronics uses, and UV protection and electrostatic dissipation in plastics. See www.cabot-corp.com. About Kalwall Corporation Kalwall Corporation is the leader in the field of translucent building panel systems, having invented the translucent, structural building panel. Based in Manchester, N.H., Kalwall is recognized worldwide for highly insulating, translucent panel technology. |
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