A Better-Value Alternative to Fumed Silica VIP Is Here. Just 45kg/m³ at the Core—What Makes SuperCooler Lightweight Vacuum Insulation Panels So Appealing?

A core density of just 45kg/m³, plus a better price? Can an alternative to fumed silica vacuum insulation panels really offer both?

That question keeps coming up in our customer enquiries.

Fumed silica VIP is a familiar choice when insulation has to work hard—in buildings, cold chains and aerospace. The catch? Its price can put it out of reach for projects where every penny counts.

So can you get comparable insulation with less weight and a lower bill?

Meet SuperCooler lightweight VIP vacuum insulation panels.

What Is Fumed Silica VIP?

A fumed silica vacuum insulation panel, or FS-VIP, uses silicon carbide (SiC) as an opacifier. In its porous nano-SiO2 core, SiC increases the effective extinction coefficient, blocking more infrared radiation and improving insulation at high temperatures.

What SuperCooler fumed silica vacuum insulation panels bring to the table:

• Low thermal conductivity: down to 4.5mW/(m·K).

• Long service life: typically 50 years or more.

• High-temperature stability: the silicon carbide (SiC) opacifier has a melting point above 2700℃ and helps suppress infrared heat transfer at high temperatures.

Fumed silica VIP is used in external walls, cold-chain shipping boxes, spacecraft components and appliance insulation. In Europe, it’s a go-to option for building insulation.

But there’s still that price tag.

Making a fumed silica core takes complex processing and a lot of energy. That pushes up the cost.

Lightweight VIP: A Better-Value Alternative

Super Tech Advanced Material has spent more than 20 years working on vacuum insulation and is one of the few manufacturers with an integrated production chain. Starting with what customers needed, we developed the lightweight VIP range through work on materials, processes and production equipment.

SuperCooler lightweight VIP comes in two series, with core densities of 45kg/m³ and 100kg/m³.

Here’s how the key figures stack up:

45kg/m³ Lightweight VIP: Seriously Light

The core density is just 45kg/m³—about 1/7 that of a conventional fibreglass core. For the same volume, the panel weighs less than a quarter as much as fumed silica VIP.

It also shows 0% dimensional expansion after puncture. If the vacuum is accidentally lost, the panel won’t swell or distort, keeping the insulation layer dimensionally stable. Compressive strength at 10% strain reaches 0.28MPa, so low weight still comes with structural strength.

100kg/m³ Lightweight VIP: Matching Fumed Silica Performance

Thermal conductivity reaches 4.0mW/(m·K), on par with fumed silica VIP. That makes it an alternative in applications where this core insulation performance is what matters.

Both lightweight VIP options offer:

• A more competitive price: direct sourcing of key raw materials through our supply chain helps keep costs down while maintaining performance.

• Less weight: lighter components mean less energy needed for transport and installation.

• Dimensional stability: limited size changes after puncture, with no swelling or shrinkage during long-term use.

• Flat, precise panels: accurate dimensions and tight joints help reduce heat leaks.

• Environmental and safety checks: REACH and RoHS compliance, with testing for more than 220 harmful substances.

Can Lightweight VIP Cover the Same Applications?

Customers often ask whether lightweight VIP can do the jobs they currently use fumed silica VIP for.

Yes, it can.

Fumed silica VIP applications include external-wall insulation, cold-chain shipping boxes, spacecraft components, appliances and industrial equipment.

Lightweight VIP is designed for refrigerators, refrigerated logistics vehicles, portable insulated boxes, pallet shippers, cold rooms and building insulation.

At China Refrigeration Expo, visitors responded warmly to Super Tech Advanced Material’s lightweight VIP. One comment summed it up: “This would be great for pharmaceutical shipping boxes—light to carry, with great insulation!”

Lighter: core density just 1/7 that of fibreglass cores. Stable: dimensional change after puncture <1%. Flat panels for easy joining. Meets national environmental requirements.

Where lightweight VIP makes the difference:

• Lower cost: for price-sensitive projects, the 45kg/m³ series combines a very light core with a cost-effective insulation solution.

• Less weight: especially useful for cold-chain shipping and portable insulated boxes, where every extra kilogram matters.

• Performance at a manageable cost: the 100kg/m³ series matches fumed silica VIP on thermal conductivity while keeping costs under control.

Super Tech Advanced Material: Turning R&D into Better Products

In March 2025, Super Tech Advanced Material’s independently developed lightweight VIP won the AWE Best Component Award at the Appliance & Electronics World Expo. It was the company’s fifth AWE award—often called the appliance industry’s “Oscar”—recognising its work on new technology and products.

From refrigerators and energy-efficient buildings to industrial equipment, high-temperature insulation, LNG insulation and EV batteries, Super Tech Advanced Material keeps finding new uses for vacuum insulation. Fumed silica VIP remains a performance benchmark. Our lightweight VIP offers a lighter, more affordable alternative with strong insulation performance.

Building insulation, cold-chain logistics or industrial insulation? SuperCooler lightweight VIP offers a lighter, lower-cost option with the performance to match.

Backed by parent company Super Tech Advanced Material’s 20 years of vacuum insulation experience, our cold-chain team goes beyond core materials. We help with temperature-control solutions from product selection through to the final application.