Aju Business Daily

SEOUL -- The demand for new insulating materials in the form of a blanket with a high pore rate is growing as it can be utilized from the cargo hold of natural carriers to power plant piping. Companies are trying to develop various types of aerogel blanket insulation but international standards have yet to be established.

The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS), a government agency that leads national standards and technical evaluation, will establish a domestic standard for aerogel blanket insulation in October before playing a leading role in setting international standards, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

Standardization will help South Korean production companies to secure stable quality and expand their entry into the global market, the ministry said in a statement, adding that aerogel blanket insulation can replace polyurethane used in the cargo hold of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers.

"The demand for ultra-low and ultra-high temperature insulation materials such as LNG carriers is increasing, but there has been no international standard," KATS head Lee Seung-woo was quoted as saying. "We will successfully complete the remaining work on establishing international standards so that we can speed up our overseas expansion."

Aerogel blanket insulation is light and strong against fire. It can be used in a wide range of temperatures. Flexible material characteristics make it easy to construct on-site and increase usability in injection molds, oil refining and petrochemical and construction.