Wolfgang Hillen Summer School 2023
Prof. Dr. Stefan Schafföner
University of Bayreuth
Chair of Ceramic Materials Engineering
Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Str.
1
95447 Bayreuth
- Germany
Prof. Dr. Dietmar Koch
University of Augsburg
Chair of Materials Engineering
Am Technologiezentrum 8
86159 Augsburg - Germany
E-Mail: dietmar.koch@mrm.uni-augsburg.de
Prof. Dr. Steven Nutt
University of Southern California
Department of Chemical
Engineering and Materials Science,
3651 Watt Way, VHE 604
Los Angeles, California 90089-0241, U.S.A.
e-mail: nutt@usc.edu
Ceramic Matrix Composites – Light-Weight, Efficient and Sustainable Materials for Aerospace and Spin-Off Applications
Summer 2023 – University of Bayreuth
Ceramic Matrix Composites reinforced with ceramic of Al2O3, C, or SiC, exhibit remarkably light weight (2-3 g/cm³, 3-4x less than steel), non-brittle failure (fracture toughness) and damage tolerance, long service life, and resistance to thermal shock, accompanied by high hardness, chemical inertness, and extreme temperature resistance. Thus, most drawbacks of monolithic technical ceramics are overcome. Oxide and non-oxide composite materials (such as C/SiC and SiC/SiC) will play key roles in addressing the future challenges of climate change and requirements to reduce CO2-emissions and airborne particles that comprise fine dust in urban environments (particularly from air and vehicular traffic). Airplane engines contain metallic components (Ni-based superalloys). These superalloys are three-to-four times denser than CMCs. The weight of turbine components can be reduced by more than 50% compared to metallic parts presently used. The superior temperature resistance of CMCs will permit an increase in engine efficiency (up to 65%, compared to ~55% for conventional turbines). Increased efficiency translates to reduced fuel consumption, reductions in CO2 and NOx-emissions (up to 20%), and the amount of cooling air (up to 35%). In the field of CMCs, the USA has been the main driver. In the 2010s, the first series of CMC components were introduced by GE (turbine) and CFM International. Germany must close the technology gap with the US and reach a competency level in aerospace comparable to the production of CMCs for civil applications (spin offs), such as ceramic brake discs used in passenger cars and thermal carrier structures for high temperature processes.
The lectures of the Summer School will start with the components (fibers and matrices), their properties and the fabrication of CMC, including the high temperature processing. An additional part will cover methods and techniques to study these novel and promising materials at room and high temperature. Finally, the costs and important aspects regarding to sustainability and recycling will be covered by the organizers resp. the speaker. During the lectures and practical courses, process-structure and structure-property relationships will be emphasized to help the attendees understand and appreciate the challenges and opportunities of CMC materials. Given this motivation and background, we propose to initiate Summer School 2023, a training program to accelerate awareness and technical competency with CMCs. The 7-day school will provide a theoretical understanding and practical familiarity with CMCs to the participants. Summer School 2023 will also provide opportunities for networking with experts, who will share their experience with students and technical personnel. Lectures by experts from academia and industry will be complemented by a hands-on demonstration. To highlight the course, an excursion is planned to two prominent aerospace companies of Germany resp. Bavaria. Participants will receive a certificate of participation. Parts of the program resp. the lectures will also provide by online tools to extend the reach and to ease the participation if there will be Covid-19-pandemic induced restrictions.
CMC-Summer School 2023 will continue in California in 2024, a plan that will leverage the dynamic growth and anticipated future developments in the region. This plan is based on the settlement of key industrial players of the CMC aerospace industry in California (e.g., Boeing Space and Defense and Rolls Royce). The plan leverages the competences of the University of Southern California and University of California, Santa Barbara.