The University of Birmingham spin-out is moving its nanofibre insulation platform toward one of fusion energy’s hardest materials challenges: lightweight shielding against neutron damage.
Aegis Fibretech, a UK materials start-up spun out from the University of Birmingham, has reported proof-of-concept results showing that chemically adapted electrospun materials can moderate and capture fusion neutrons after thermalisation. The company presented the results at the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s Fusion Industry Shielding Showcase at Culham Campus on April 29, 2026.
From insulation to neutron shielding
Aegis uses electrospinning to produce ultra-light nanofibre materials. Its platform has already demonstrated strong thermal insulation performance, including heat-shielding capability at temperatures up to 1,000°C. The latest work extends that materials base into neutron shielding, where fusion developers need systems that can reduce radiation damage, activation and maintenance risk inside future power plants.
The company is proposing a layered shielding approach, using chemically modified materials to slow and capture neutrons. This is commercially significant because fusion reactors generate high-energy neutrons that can degrade structural materials and induce radioactivity in surrounding components.
APEX panels move beyond lab structures
The project was supported by UKAEA’s Fusion Industry Programme, which is designed to build the UK fusion supply chain ahead of a future global fusion power plant market. UKAEA listed Aegis Fibretech’s project as “APEX – Advanced Panels for Extreme eXposure: Ultra-light multifunctional metamaterials for fusion shielding.”
Funding helped the company scale from nanofibre structures into cohesive functional panels known as APEX. These panels were tested at the Neutron Irradiation for Local Electronics facility on the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire. Aegis said it was the only early-stage company awarded a 2025 FIP supplier contract for sustainable shielding solutions in fusion environments.
Industrial interest widens
Aegis said the project has already attracted interest from a UK fusion reactor developer and a US company specialising in aerospace radiation shielding. The company is now seeking industrial partners and customers for further development in neutron capture, including bioshielding, hot-cell handling and thermal insulation for fusion systems.
The next test is scale. Fusion shielding materials must prove not only neutron performance, but durability, manufacturability, integration with reactor architecture and cost competitiveness under extreme operating conditions.
