The worldwide science and innovation competition hosted by R&D World recently announced the 2025 R&D 100 Awards. A judging panel of global industry experts evaluates projects based on their novelty, impact, and practical applications. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), in cooperation with Dr Tianli Feng from the University of Utah, was recognized for their “Next-Gen High-Performance Polyiso Foam Insulation.”
The team’s new insulation breaks a decades-long performance ceiling for the foam boards used in insulating homes and businesses. Current products on the market operate at R-6.2 to 6.6 per inch, a measurement of the insulation’s resistance to heat flow. The new insulation from this award delivers R-8.3 per inch, a substantial increase on current materials.
The foam made by the team is anisotropic, which sacrifices one directional thermal resistance while enhancing the other directions.
“In addition to improved performance, this new foam also lowers the cost of the foam,” said Feng. “We see a functional cost reduce by about 10% and installed costs reduced by about 20% thanks to the 22% thinner assemblies.”
This project was a team effort led by ORNL’s Som Shrestha with Department of Energy support from Sven Mumme and group leadership from Diana Hun. Contributors including Shiwanka Wanasinghe, Zoriana Demchuk, Janak Tiwari, Achutha Tamraparni, Tomonori Saito, Catalin Gainaru, and others brought together a range of skills including innovative foam design, multiscale simulations, machine-learning optimizations, breakthroughs in polymer chemistry, and rigorous characterization.
“The journey started with physics-grounded models of porous-foam heat transfer and our ThermoPI tool,” said Feng, “and progressed to an R-10/in performance hypothesis and culminated in experimentally demonstrated R-8.3/in, which is now published in ACS Applied Engineering Materials (2025).”
Having achieved success in the lab, the team is now moving toward a field-ready product. That means (1) scaling polymer synthesis and foam processing, (2) long-term aging, durability, fire, and moisture testing, (3) code compliance and third-party certification, and (4) pilot projects with manufacturing partners. In parallel, the team is also pushing performance toward R-9 to 10/in through a variety of tools and guided by multiscale simulation and machine-learning design loops.
“We’re actively engaging manufacturer and builders to accelerate commercialization so homeowners can benefit from slimmer walls, lower install costs, and lower energy bills,” said Feng. “At scale, our analysis indicates potential U.S. energy savings greater than 230 TBTU per year, which translates to $2.3 billion in lower bills.”
“I’m thrilled and grateful for this recognition. This is my first R&D 100 Award, and it represents four years of turning theory into reality—something that’s much easier said than done,” said Feng. “I’m proud of our collaboration with the ORNL team and the DOE support, and honored that this is the university’s sole R&D 100 recognition this year. Awards fade, but the impact on energy efficiency and affordability will endure.”
You can find more of Feng’s work through the Thermal Innovations for Future lab website as well as more information on the Oak Ridge National Laboratory through their website.