The general objective of the project is the manufacture of pellets-3D printed graphene-reinforced cordierite nanocomposites and their microstructural, mechanical and functional characterization for the validation of the material and the production process in the aerospace industry.
This project addresses key technological aspects for the development of new high-performance ceramic components with unprecedented and multifunctional properties to meet the current challenges of the aerospace sector:
The accomplishment of the objectives proposed in this project would mean a change of paradigm in the manufacture of ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials with cordierites by AM. Ceramic 3D printing (3DP) will generate up to US$3.6 billion worldwide by 2028. AM technology is expected to reach maturity in 2025. There are still some relevant challenges that must be achieved to reach it and therefore the main actors in the CMC development, including manufacturers, raw material suppliers, service providers and end users, are vital in the development of this manufacturing process, pointing out that industry stakeholders from all these areas are actively supporting this project.
AM is a key driver for Industry 5.0, which entail benefits for companies through connectivity, intelligence and flexible automation. More agile, and efficient factories could be implemented leading to a reduction in the carbon footprint during the production process. The innate ability of AM to produce geometrically complex parts with a high degree of detail, difficult to machine by conventional manufacture, would make it possible to obtain lightened structures and provide functionalities that were not considered so far: customized parts, short runs, high buy-to-fly ratio components or spare parts for economical repairs.
CMC manufacturing by 3DP will mean a real industrial revolution in composite materials, which could reach companies in multiple sectors, including aerospace. This technology would make possible the manufacture of nozzle throats and combustor liners for turbines, insulation tiles for space vehicles, mirrors for micro and nanosatellites, camera lens spacers for telescopes, mechanisms subjected to the field of radio frequency and microwaves with structures that protect the radiating elements. With the addition of graphene with conductive properties, these composite materials can be diversified for applications such as radar-absorbing materials (RAM), built-in antennas, Frequency Selective Surface (FSS) and applications of protective materials against the indirect effects of light (LIE). Additionally, graphene distribution within the matrix and, mainly its quantification assessment, is considered a scientific challenge nowadays. It is a highly innovative line of research that enables the development of its technology in the country, which could lead to a patent related to the final application of the developed prototype and potentially eliminate dependence on imported technology.
Moreover, these results will also become beneficial advances for society, since the project provides the opportunity to train highly qualified professionals to work in companies in this sector and enables the generation of professional opportunities in the country. Finally, the project is framed within the Thematic Priority 4 «Digital World, Industry, Space and Defence» of the National Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation (PEICTI) 2021-2023, which includes CMC advanced materials and manufacturing technologies as its main challenges. The proposed AM process has been identified as one of the disruptive technologies for the European Defence Fund (EDF). Besides, many sustainability benefits for AM are connected to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) e.g. :
The developments of this project are highly novel among the scientific and industrial community, since they combine the advantages of a cheaper and more versatile AM alternative, with the possibilities presented by graphene-reinforced cordierites in the aerospace industry and other sectors. It will also provide new insights into multiple fields of science. Proof of this is the multidisciplinary research team involved and its external collaborations, as well as the companies that have shown interest in the proposal (VICAR, LAYERONE, BSH, FLEXITECH, MIMECRISA, CERAMICX, Airbus, Lidax, Iberia, ITP) that cover the entire value chain of this type of products, from raw material, processing and in-service use of components, thanks to an approach based on solid research experience in the processing and characterization of materials with a high capacity for industrial transfer of the results derived.
