What is the So Sponge mesoporous material?

So Sponge uses a patented self-regenerating mesoporous material that absorbs and releases moisture autonomously, with no energy input or maintenance required.

How does spontaneous regeneration work?

The material absorbs moisture when humidity rises and naturally releases it when humidity drops, through capillary condensation and evaporation cycles — no heating or activation needed.

What is the difference between AirSponge and AirSwing?

AirSponge is the passive range (no energy) for enclosed and semi-enclosed spaces. AirSwing is the active range using forced-cycle ventilation for high-performance dehumidification.

Is the technology patented?

Yes, So Sponge holds a patent filed in May 2021 through Pulsalys, the technology transfer office of the University of Lyon.

What makes it different from silica gel?

Unlike silica gel which saturates and must be replaced or heated to regenerate, the So Sponge SRD material regenerates spontaneously at ambient temperature, providing continuous humidity control.

Technology

A self-regenerating mesoporous material

Born from research on transition aluminas, patented and industrialised to regulate humidity with no energy and no maintenance.

×8

more effective than silica gel
in the risk zone (60-90% RH)

0 W

energy
consumption

∞

cycles without
replacement

The innovation

From fundamental research to industrial application

So Sponge technology is based on transition aluminas, mesoporous aluminium oxides whose nanometric pore structure enables capillary condensation of water vapour. Unlike silica gel, which saturates and must be replaced, the So Sponge material regenerates spontaneously at ambient temperature without any energy input.

The properties of this material were discovered by Melaz Tayakout, professor at UCBL, and Elsa Jolimaître, research engineer at IFPEN, who repurposed the thermodynamic properties of transition aluminas — traditionally used as catalytic supports in refining — to create a novel application in humidity regulation.

Patent 2021

via Pulsalys · University of Lyon TTO

SRD® Technology

How does the SRD® material regulate humidity?

The SRD (Self-Regenerating Desiccant) material exploits capillary condensation in its mesoporous structure. The hysteresis between the adsorption and desorption curves creates a self-sustaining regulation cycle — without energy or intervention.

Adsorption / desorption isotherm of SRD material

Adsorption

When relative humidity exceeds the activation threshold, the mesoporous material captures water vapour through capillary condensation.

Regulation

Internal humidity is maintained below the condensation threshold. Components remain protected.

Regeneration

When the air dries out, the material naturally releases the adsorbed water. The cycle repeats indefinitely.

The material

A structure organised across multiple scales

So Sponge products are made from a chemically neutral mineral material, organised across multiple size scales. It is this architecture that gives the material its exceptional adsorption capacity.

Nanocrystals

The base unit of the material, at nanometric scale.

µm

Micrometric powder

Formed by aggregation of nanocrystals.

Millimetric coating

The space between nanocrystals forms the active porosity for adsorption.

Multi-scale structure of So Sponge material: fabric (mm) → powder (µm) → nanocrystals (nm)

Comparison

SRD vs traditional desiccants

Why SRD material replaces conventional desiccants in humidity regulation applications.

Criterion	SRD So Sponge	Silica gel	Zeolite	CaCl₂
Regeneration	Spontaneous	Heating required	Heating required	Non-reversible
Energy	0 W	100–300 °C	200–350 °C	N/A (disposable)
Lifespan	Unlimited	A few cycles	A few cycles	Single use
Maintenance	None	Replacement	Replacement	Replacement
Activation threshold	~60% RH	~20% RH	~10% RH	~30% RH
Capacity (60–90% RH)	×8 risk zone	Baseline	~×2 vs silica	~×3 vs silica

Animation

Silica gel vs SRD: adsorption isotherms under humidity cycling

Observe how the compared materials behave over a single cycle, then across time.

Scrub timeline slow-mo

↤ cycle 1 slow-mo fast cycles →

Cycle

Current RH

50%

Silica gel saturation 0%

Cap 0.4 mL/g

⚠ REPLACE

SRD saturation 5%

Cap 0.87 mL/g

↻ 0 cycles complete

From material to products

SRD material comes in two complementary ranges: a passive range requiring no energy and an active range with forced-cycle ventilation.

AirSponge — Passive range AirSwing — Active range