Why Is Silica Aerogel Used in Insulation Systems?

 Silica aerogel is used in thermal insulation systems, as it has the potential to substitute traditional insulation materials like fiberglass, polystyrene foam, cellulose, mineral wool, and polyurethane foam, and the systems made with this synthetic material consume less energy. Silica aerogel with low thermal conductivity offers more benefits than the traditional materials used for thermal insulation. Moreover, its efficiency in transmitting solar radiation increases its importance in the construction industry, and its transparency property makes it suitable for windows and skylights, which are used in buildings, for the insulation process. 

Moreover, surging application of silica aerogel in the oil & gas sector will increase the revenue of the silica aerogel market from $273.0 million in 2015 to a substantial size by 2022. The installation process for this material is easy and quick that reduces the cost incurred by fabricators and installers.   According to P&S Intelligence, the market will showcase a CAGR of 31.1% during 2016–2022. Furthermore, the high thermal insulation capacity and lightweight feature of silica aerogel have led to its increased usage in the aerospace and defense sectors. 

Aerogel is produced from inorganic and organic predecessors by using a conventional technique of sol-gel polymerization that converts monomers into a colloid solution known as a sol. A semi-solid gel is formed by the combination of sol particles. Whereas, a solid aerogel is created when the solvent is displaced from wet gel via air without breaking the gel structure. This polymer has a nanostructure that comprises particles and pores that are quite smaller than the wavelength of visible spectrum. This chemical property gives thermal, acoustic, and optical features to the aerogel. 

Additionally, the eco-friendly characteristic of silica aerogel is one of the key reasons behind its widening application base. The material is manufactured by using environment-friendly raw materials that are similar to natural substances, such as silicates, which are available in abundance and do not emit toxic chemicals. Moreover, the recyclable feature of silica aerogel sponges makes them cost-effective and eco-friendly. Due to these properties, the usage of this material has escalated in several sectors, such as healthcare, building insulation, aerospace, oil & gas, and construction. 

Geographically, North America consumed the maximum quantity of silica aerogel in 2015 and the U.S. emerged as the largest consumer in the world. This is due to the comprehensive research and development (R&D) conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on silica aerogel. On account of its exceptional thermal insulation property and lightness, the aerogel was utilized by NASA for the Mars Exploration Rover Mission. The space agency is also working toward curtailing the production cost of silica aerogel to make it viable for commercial purposes. 

On the other hand, the European silica aerogel market is expected to utilize this aerogel at the fastest pace in the coming years. This can be attributed to the escalating usage of silica aerogel in the construction sector. Moreover, the implementation of energy-efficient policies by the European Union (EU) that obligate every building in the member nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions will fuel the demand for this material in the region.

Thus, the excellent insulation and eco-friendly properties of silica aerogel will increase its application in the coming years.

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Why is Preferred Technique in Microbial Identification Market?

 Infection is one of the most common causes of diseases, and several of these infections have proved a pestilence. In the current scenario, the COVID-19 epidemic is the world’s deadliest infection, killing over 340,000 people as of May 2020, since being detected in December 2019. Due to the rapidly increasing number cases and deaths, the adopted of microbial identification methods is increasing around the world, to ascertain whether someone has the virus or not, and if not, which other microbe could be causing the symptoms.

Apart from coronavirus, several other microbial infections have ran riot on the earth, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), measles, polio, Zika, cholera, tuberculosis, anthrax, leprosy, dengue fever, malaria, and bubonic plague. Due to the rising prevalence of many such pathogen-borne diseases, the microbial identification market is growing rapidly across the world. Several consumables, services, and instruments and software are required to efficiently establish the presence of microorganisms in a given sample. Among them, consumables are the most widely bought around the world, as reagents, kits, media, and plates are used in every individual test, so they deplete rather quickly. 

In the coming years, the demand would increase the fastest for instruments and software, mainly as a result of the advancements in the microorganism-detecting technologies. For instance, the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) method is becoming widely popular, as it is cost-effective, offers faster results, and requires less amounts of consumables. In the present times, when hundreds of people are being tested for COVID-19 at individual medical centers, such cheap and quick-analysis techniques could witness a swift rise in demand.

There are mainly two methods to detect the presence of viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi in the human body: genotypic and phenotypic. Though the phenotypic method has been the convention, users are rapidly shifting to the genotypic alternative, because it is more reliable and accurate, on account of being based on the analysis of the nucleic acid. Both these techniques are utilized for food and beverage testing and diagnostic, environmental, and pharmaceutical applications. Among these, diagnostic applications account for a significant consumption of microbial identification instruments, consumables, software, and services. 

This is simply because of the high prevalence of infectious diseases around the world, most of which are easily communicable to healthy people. Therefore, the infections need to be identified and treated as quickly as possible, to check the spread to other people. Similarly, food and beverage testing is also a prominent sector where microbes need to be detected. This is because of the stringent quality guidelines imposed on food and beverage companies, such as by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These policies, coupled with the increasing awareness of people about food contamination, are leading to an increase in the adoption of microbe testing methods in this sector. 

In the coming years, Asia-Pacific (APAC) would observe microbial identification market growth at the highest rate, on account of the rising incidence of infectious diseases here, primarily due to the booming population of the elderly. Due to their weakened immunological response, the geriatric population is more prone to infections, which also affect them more severely than other people. Similarly, the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors are also expanding in the region, which are also significant users of the various services, software, instruments, and consumables that make microbial identification possible.

Therefore, due to the rising menace of infections, presently COVID-19, as well as the expansion of the biotech, pharma, and food and beverage sectors, the adoption of microbial identification methods will keep rising.

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How Is Automotive Sector Pushing Methylene Chloride Sale?

 The International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA) states that 1,427,074 vehicles, 3,506,774 vehicles, 447,218 vehicles, 3,176,600 vehicles, 691,286 vehicles, 3,394,446 vehicles, 25,225,242 vehicles, and 2,014,055 vehicles were manufactured in Thailand, South Korea, South Africa, Mexico, Indonesia, India, China, and Brazil, respectively, in 2020. The surging automobile production in developing countries is creating an extensive requirement for paints and adhesives, owing to which the consumption of methylene chloride will rise in the foreseeable future.

Moreover, the surging requirement for auxiliary blowing agents will also accelerate the consumption of methylene chloride in the upcoming years. This compound is being used as an auxiliary blowing agent in the production of flexible slabstock polyurethane foam in the furniture and bedding industry because it provides softer foam than fluorocarbon. Additionally, the usage of methylene chloride as an auxiliary agent helps several end-use industries conduct research, reduce production costs, and explore numerous productive ways to cater to the needs of customers efficiently.   

In addition to foam production, methylene chloride, a colorless and volatile liquid with a sweet aroma, is also used in the metal cleaning, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage sectors. Thus, the increasing consumption of packaged food products due to the soaring global population, and the rising need for pharmaceutical products because of the growing prevalence of infectious and chronic diseases, will also result in the largescale consumption of methylene chloride, worldwide. For instance, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) forecasts that the world population will rise from 7.7 million in 2019 to 9.7 billion by 2050.

To cater to the needs of the pharmaceutical, paint and adhesives, food and beverage, and metal sectors, Akzo Nobel N.V., INEOS Group Holding S.A, LOTTE Fine Chemical, Eastman Chemical Company, Occidental Petroleum Corporation, PJSC Khimprom, Asahi Glass Co. Ltd., Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd., Olin Corporation, and KEM ONE are producing methylene chloride. Additionally, these companies also offer their products to the electronics industry, as it uses this organic compound as a solvent in paint removers.

Globally, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) led the methylene chloride market in the recent past. This was on account of the booming population, the flourishing pharmaceutical industry due to the surging focus of governments on providing health services at affordable prices, and the growing infrastructure sector in the region. Additionally, the widening production base, increasing number of industrial plants in developing countries, and expanding application bases, such as metal cleaning and food and beverages, will also facilitate the consumption of methyl chloride in the region.  

Thus, the rising automobile production and adoption in developing countries, the booming construction sector, and the increasing requirement for auxiliary blowing agents will facilitate the consumption of methylene chloride in the forthcoming years.     

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