Spearhead spin-off AERO MATERIALS launches ultra-light nanomaterial
Graphene Flagship spearhead project - AEROGrAFT* - has a spin-off company from Kiel University called AERO MATERIALS and they are making nanomaterials that are 99.9% air!
Professor Rainer Adelung from Kiel University, Germany, along with some young researchers joined us at Graphene Week 2025 as exhibitors. They spent the week shining as they presented their new ultra-light nanomaterial that is set to transform several industries, including technical motion systems and pneumatic uses.
Rainer Adelung, Kiel University, Germany
AERO MATERIALS as Graphene Week 2025 exhibitor.
“Our aero materials are so light that you can barely feel them in your hand. At the same time, they are so functional that they can replace entire systems. For many applications, this is a real game-changer.”
Professor Kiel University, Germany
After a decade of development by Professor Adelung's research group, the team is taking the nanostructure from the lab to the market. Since September 2025, AERO MATERIALS GmbH has been operating as an independent company.
The innovative material opens up four key application areas: actuation for fast, precise, and energy-efficient movements; filtration, where the conductive, open-pored structures allow for self-cleaning filters; optics, where the material can direct and scatter light, enabling highly energy-efficient lighting solutions; and electromagnetic shielding for sensitive electronics—such as drones or other mobile devices where every gram counts.
Read press release HERE
*More about spearhead project AEROGrAFT
Author bio
Graphene Flagship
Bringing together 126 academic and industrial partners in 13 research and innovation projects and 1 coordination and support project, the Graphene Flagship initiative will continue to advance Europe’s strategic autonomy in technologies that rely on graphene and other 2D materials. The initiative, which builds on the previous 10-years of the Graphene Flagship, is funded by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme.