Aerogels are unique nanostructured porous materials containing >90 vol% air and entitled with peculiar properties of utmost interest for different advanced applications. The main aim of AERoGELS Action is to boost the development of aerogel‐based products for biomedical and environmental applications by setting up a multidisciplinary knowledge‐based network to facilitate the exchange of ideas, expertise and outcomes by encompassing European key actors in this field from technological, scientific and market points of view.
Specific objetives of the Action are:
- To develop specific cutting‐edge bioactive aerogels considering their market impact.
- To develop specific innovative aerogel features and products for environmental applications, considering their market impact.
- To explore novel or modify existing chemical (sol‐gel) and physical (e.g., drying) routes for aerogel processing, and to develop and adapt analytical tools for aerogel characterization and performance.
- To evaluate innovative aerogel processing approaches to turn advanced materials development from lab‐scale into commercial products from technological, safety and economical points of view.
- To set the basis of a common knowledge on aerogels regarding toxicity, health, risk safety assessment, environmental impact and regulatory issues.
The Action will bring together key actors from academia and industry from materials science, chemical engineering, biology, environmental chemistry, pharmaceutical technology, physics, pharmacology, regenerative medicine and toxicology domains as well as regulatory experts and innovation managers to boost together the development and applications of aerogels as high added value products. The obtained advanced materials will be used in biomedical and environmental applications for several potential sectors as beneficiaries and, particularly, the general society
