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WHITE PAPER
CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITES:
A FIELD OF EXCELLENCE IN FRANCE

DECEMBER 2023
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For France to remain a world leader in the field of

Ceramic Composites

At the end of the 1950s, General de Gaulle's decision to establish a national nuclear deterrent force
provided a decisive boost to technological innovation in France. From there, a large-scale
development of liquid and solid propellant propulsion systems was undertaken. These new
technologies were quickly put to good use in the construction of civilian launchers, the first of which
was the DIAMANT rocket, launched from Hammaguir in November 1965. This was in fact only a
derivative of the TOPAZE military vehicle. Subsequently, the development and deployment of
ballistic missiles took place, and the history of European space travel followed.

This context motivated the development of Ceramic Matrix Composites [CMCs] in the early 1970s in
France. Even today, our country is a leader in the research, development and industrialization of this
technology.

A ceramic material results from the combination of ceramic filaments and ceramic matrices. This
produces a multi-phase material, capable of withstanding much higher temperatures than the best
metal alloys, while possessing much lower densities, and without the brittle nature of monolithic
ceramics. Depending on the nature of the constituents, the architecture of the filamentary
reinforcement and the size of the structural unit, other specific properties can be advantageously
optimized. This allows for improved ablation resistance, wear behavior, thermal conductivity, neutron
resistance, electromagnetic and/or infrared response, etc.

The history of the development of these new materials in France probably begins with the
identification, at the end of the 1960s, of a material from the American company Union Carbide,
which synthesizes, on a very small scale, so-called "carbon-carbon" compounds. For French
specialists in the design/manufacture of solid propellant nozzles, the alternative to the nozzle neck
material at the time of highly refractory metals seemed obvious: a material with a density ten times
lower than that of tungsten and capable of resisting very high thermal fluxes, with a level of resilience
eliminating any catastrophic rupture effect.
From the beginning of research and development guided by the "Frenchification" of some American
technologies, several major innovations were quickly made in France. To cite just a few examples:
carbon-carbon materials reinforced by multidirectional constructions called "4D" (1974) or by carbon
needle-punched textures (late 1970s), silicon carbide matrix materials synthesized by a chemical
gas infiltration process (1980s), the development of so-called "self-healing" matrices by this same
process (early 1990s), the development of 3D-multilayer weaving (late 1990s), the development of
CMC oxide using an original polyphosphosialate matrix (late 2010s).

At the same time, and from the end of the 1970s, academic research support was established to
explore new CMC concepts and new production processes, as well as to learn how to characterize
these new materials, far from metallic standards. The challenge was to understand their main
properties and their failure modes in order to propose initial sizing tools, associated with failure
criteria. A notable element was the creation, in 1988, of the Thermo-Structural Composites
Laboratory, on the Bordeaux university campus.

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Even today, this joint research unit (CNRS – University of Bordeaux – Safran - CEA), bringing together researchers from
different authorities, constitutes a unique example of a research laboratory, in the sense that it brings together the major
specific disciplines of CMC technology within a single entity. And more recently, in 2019, all academic, institutional and
industrial stakeholders proposed to the CNRS the creation of a Research Group "Ceramic Composites, Design, Modeling
Characterization" (the GDR CMC2), whose aim is to promote and structure technical and scientific exchanges on a
French scale.

In addition to the application of CMCs for the design of solid propellant nozzles and other missile parts, this new French
knowledge quickly spread to other areas. One can cite the unprecedented development of carbon-carbon composites for
aircraft braking, carried out in France from 1972, which led to an initial qualification in 1979 and since then to position
Safran as the world leader in aeronautical braking. We can also mention the neck of the boosters of the Ariane 5 rocket
(and soon Ariane 6) which remains the largest massive CMC part ever produced, and the large divergents of the liquid
propellant engines of the American Delta and Atlas rockets, still produced today in Bordeaux. In the early 1990s, France
was the first country to qualify a CMC component on an aircraft engine: these are the exhaust nozzle flaps of the turbojet
engines of the Rafale aircraft. In the 1990s, CMCs became established in tactical missiles. As early as 1994, CMC
materials based on a glass-ceramic matrix appeared in motor racing, notably for thermal protection around braking
systems, exhaust lines and turbos in Formula 1 cars. In the mid-2010s, two world firsts also benefited the French CMC
sector: the first rotation of a low-pressure turbine wheel on a CFM56 engine and the first EASA certification for the CFM56
afterbody on an Air France airliner. These last two demonstrations gave real credit to the application of CMCs for the civil
aeronautics sector, a very large market, comprising several hundred thousand parts per year, and particularly competitive.

This swarming, by "application sector", is that of a valorization strategy designed from demonstrated technological
capabilities now available for new developments, faster and less risky than the initial breakthroughs.

Current and future challenges argue for the continuation and expansion of France's dominant position in these dual
technologies. These include military and energy sovereignty, independent access to space, desensitization to "conflict
minerals," the transformation of transport and industry in connection with decarbonization, and the consideration of
environmental requirements, among others.

This leading position, built in France, needs to be supported by strong national fundamental research and technological
innovation activity, strengthening the independence of the supply chain and developing production tools.

This long-term effort must be strengthened in the current context. A working group bringing together French industry and
academic stakeholders has therefore conducted a study. It has led to the identification of joint recommendations deemed
essential to consolidate and strengthen this sector of activity.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4

2 Ceramic matrix composites (CMC) ................................................................................................................................................................ 7 2.1 What is a

CMC? ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 7 2.2 Current and future

application areas ................................................................................................................................................................. 9

2.2.1 Space domain ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 9 2.2.2

Aeronautical domain ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 10

2.2.3 Defense domain ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 13

2.2.4 Nuclear industry sector ................................................................................................................................................................ 14

2.2.5 Other industrial sectors ................................................................................................................................................................................ 15

2.2.6 Motor racing sector ................................................................................................................................................................ 16

2.2.7 New mobility sector ................................................................................................................................................................................ 16

2.2.8 Examples of current and potential markets ................................................................................................................................. 17

3 International and national contexts ................................................................................................................................................................................ 18

3.1 International environment ................................................................................................................................................................................ 18

3.2 French sector ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 21 3.2.1 Academics

(teaching and research) ........................................................................................................................................... 21 3.2.2 Map of the main national players in the

field .................................................................................................................. 22

3.2.3 Public donors and sources of financing ................................................................................................................. 23

3.2.4 Strengths and weaknesses ................................................................................................................................................................................... 23

4 Societal and strategic issues: role of CMCs ............................................................................................................................................ 24

4.1 Societal issues ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 24 4.2 Strategic

issues ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 25 5 Scientific and

technological obstacles to be addressed .................................................................................................................................................. 26 5.1 Improving the performance

of these materials .................................................................................................................................................. 26

5.2 Ensuring production at acceptable costs ................................................................................................................................................ 27 5.3 Justifying and certifying

CMC parts more easily ................................................................................................................................ 28 5.4 Developing the CMC

culture .............................................................................................................................................................................. 28 6 Assessment and action

plan .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 29

6.1 Assessment .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 29

6.2 Four recommendations ................................................................................................................................................................................ 30

Appendix 1 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 32

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1 INTRODUCTION

Originally developed to improve the performance of Nuclear Deterrent Force

propellants, Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) are a family of unique
materials that retain high mechanical properties even at very high temperatures
while being more refractory and lighter than metals and less brittle than
monolithic ceramics.
Initially initiated by the companies Aérospatiale and SEP (now Ariane Group
and Safran) around the 1970s, France achieved a leading position in the
development and production of this family of materials, with the involvement
of organizations such as ONERA and CEA and increasing support from
academic research (CNRS), from the 1980s.

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Table 1: CMC Development - French Global Success Stories

1970

1972: First CMC nozzle neck tested on a ballistic missile.

1979: 1era
use of a CMC on a civil launcher (Ariane 1).
1979: Invention of the Chemical Vapor Infiltration (CVI) process of Silicon Carbide (SiC) allowing the manufacture of
CMCs less sensitive to oxidation.
1980 1980: First flight test of a strategic object with a carbon-carbon neck.

1983: Qualification of CMC brakes for civil aviation. Today, France, with Safran Landing System, is the world's leading
producer of CMC aircraft brakes.
1984: Alain Prost wins the Brazilian Formula 1 Grand Prix with French carbon/carbon brakes.

1990 1993: Qualification of the Ariane 5 Solid Propellant Engine with a CMC neck, which still remains today the largest massive
part (~100kg) in CMC ever manufactured to date.

1995: Qualification of the exhaust nozzle flaps of the SNECMA-M88 engines of the Rafale aircraft, the first CMC
component on an aero-turbine.

2000: First demonstrations (ground tests in a real environment) of a multifunctional MBDA structure of an actively fuel-
2000 cooled CMC engine.

2007: First Formula 1 applications of turbo and braking system insulation in CMC SiC fiber and aluminosilicate glass-
ceramic matrix.

2010 2010: First rotations of a low-pressure turbine wheel, entirely made of CMC, on a CFM56 engine.
2012: Flight test of a CMC nozzle on a Tiger combat helicopter.
2013: Development of the first Defense applications of PyroXide CMC with polyphosphosialate matrix and alumina
reinforcement, particularly for missile radome type applications.
2015: First EASA certification, for operational entry into service of the CFM56 CMC afterbody, on an Air France airliner,
for a period of two years.
2015: 1 erDivergent CMC, of French technology, equipping the nozzle of the F16 aircraft, exceeding 1500 flight hours in
2020 operational service.

2022: 1 erendurance test of a high-pressure turbine CMC ring, on the M88 engine equipping the Rafale.
2022: A French CMC divergent participates in the propulsion of the ORION spacecraft to the moon.
2023: Manufacture of a divergent for space propulsion which is, to date, the largest single-piece CMC part ever
manufactured in the world.

2030

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Today, the markets using ceramic composites, in addition to applications for French sovereign functions, which are of
prime importance but have very limited expansion, are those in the field of aeronautical braking (several hundred tonnes
of CMC brakes produced per year), and to a lesser extent, space launchers.

Concerning this particular technology, maintaining skills and improving technical performance to guarantee our
technological sovereignty in the military field (ballistic and hypervelocity missiles), to maintain and develop a
competitive industrial sector, with very strong potential for mass production in civil aeronautics and to meet future
markets (space optics, nuclear, medical, industry, automotive, etc.), requires a very high level of investment, over the long
term. It is this approach that will allow France to maintain a leading position in responding to future major societal and
strategic challenges such as:

reducing the carbon footprint of less fuel-consuming aircraft engines thanks to the use of CMCs, which allows their
operating temperature to be increased; independence of access to
space with more competitive and reusable space launchers thanks to the performance and mass gains linked to the
use of CMCs; reducing dependence on “conflict minerals” because most
CMCs only use abundant raw materials that are not subject to strong geopolitical constraints; energy independence
for the construction of even more resilient nuclear reactors thanks to the use of CMCs as nuclear
fuel cladding materials; optimization of long-term radioactive waste storage solutions thanks to CMC components and
their inert behavior (not subject to corrosion) instead of steel.

Continuing and strengthening the development of ceramic composites, necessary for the emergence of these new
challenges, requires significant R&D efforts and the structuring of an efficient and resilient French supply chain, which
will also need to be supported by the amplification of the CMC culture, from upstream to downstream: higher education,
design offices, certification bodies, end-user workshops.

In addition to the need for a high level of investment, the success of a large-scale long-term plan also requires the
intensification of closer collaboration and cooperation between all French stakeholders (industrial, academic and
institutional) and thus maintaining and strengthening our leading position.

A first step was taken in 2019 when, under the impetus of Safran, the CNRS 2065 GDR "(CMC)²" was created. This GDR
made it possible to structure, for the first time in France, a CMC community bringing together, in addition to academics,
the main players in this sector, from manufacturers of raw materials and CMC materials to end-users.

To take the process further, a discussion was conducted by a group of specialists in the field, all gathered around the
same objective: the development of the CMC sector in France.
Discussions and technical exchanges between partners quickly led to the identification of common areas of concern and
the emergence of a shared vision of a concerted R&D policy and an industrial sector strategy.

This white paper synthesizes this vision after having, beforehand for the first parts of the document: - Described the
CMCs and their current fields of application as well as the associated national and international contexts (chapter 3); -
Developed the societal
and strategic issues linked to the development of the CMC sector (chapter 4); - Identified the scientific and
technological obstacles linked to the previous issues (chapter 5).

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This white paper, written by a group of experts from French industrial and academic players
representing ceramic composites, offers targeted and prioritized recommendations to consolidate
and develop France's capacity to meet the sovereign challenges underlying this sector.

2 CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITES (CMC)

2.1 What is a CMC?

Now well known in the industrial sector, Organic Matrix Composites (OMCs) have established
themselves in many sectors of economic life (aerospace, aeronautics, defense, transport,
industry, sports, etc.). They are now present in our daily environment, with remarkable societal
integration. However, the field of temperature applications (above 200°C) remains reserved for
metal alloys, from the most conventional (steel-based) to the most sophisticated (nickel and cobalt-based).
However, despite their very high level of mechanical performance, they remain limited by two
intrinsic characteristics: their density, generating high mass components, and a temperature
usage limit, despite the best cooling systems that have been developed.
Monolithic ceramics are also well known in various industrial sectors for their very high
temperature resistance. However, they suffer from a behavior that is prohibitive for considering
their use in harsh mechanical environments: their brittleness, particularly marked under conditions
of high thermal gradient. Ceramic composites are proposed as an optimal solution to these
problems of mechanical, thermal and environmental specifications at high temperatures (Figure
1).

Figure 1: Illustration of the non-brittle nature of CMCs compared to monolithic ceramics

(source: Safran)

Ceramic Matrix Composites [CMC], through the possible combination of a wide range of textile
reinforcements (fibers or filaments, fabrics, felts, etc.) and matrices, are designed to respond to
high-temperature thermomechanical stresses, in a field where current metallic materials have
reached their limits, while offering a mass reduction benefit due to their low density, which can
be used at the component design level. Ceramic filaments and ceramic matrices are intrinsically
resistant to high temperatures.

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The combination of these two components, within a CMC, makes it possible to obtain a refractory
and damage-tolerant material, in other words non-brittle, provided that the modulation of the
filament-matrix bond is correctly optimized. Generally, this modulation of the interfacial bond
strength is obtained by the interposition of a third body between reinforcement and matrix, called
interphase. Following a long study of mechanical behavior, analysis of chemical bond strengths
and microstructural optimization, the "ideal" behavior of the ceramic composite was able to be
obtained and mastered. The triptych of resistance in time, temperature and chemical environment
has been the common thread of the successive developments of CMCs in order to access material
concepts responding to a wide spectrum of applications: from very high temperature/short duration
(case of solid propellant propulsion), to moderate temperature/very long duration (case of
aeronautical propulsion), passing through a range of other applications requiring specific functional
responses (aeronautical braking, re-entry bodies, neutron resistance, etc.). By definition, the
properties of CMCs and therefore the resulting design criteria will be dependent, to the first order, on the type of
However, the choice of CMC manufacturing processes combined with design rules, including local
singularities, must also be taken into account in the overall performance of candidate parts. Given
the multiphase heterogeneous aspect of CMCs and the possibilities of controlling the arrangement
of the fiber reinforcement, it is commonly accepted that the performance of a CMC as well as its
suitability for implementation only really exist through the possibility of designing and manufacturing
the associated part. This is a principle of "manufacturable design" specific to composite technologies,
which must be undertaken to result in parts meeting functional requirements. This requires an
optimized engineering language and tools between mechanics, design and CMC architecture, to
result, after an iterative process, in CMC parts meeting the best compromise between performance,
cost and industrialization.
Figure 2 illustrates some application cases which show that, for short times, some CMCs can be
used at very high temperatures and that conversely for medium temperatures, the exposure times
could be very long. This is often linked to the inertia of degradation and damage phenomena such
as oxidation, fatigue and creep.

Operating temperature (°C)

3000 Back to school

Propulsion
Spatial

2000

Military aero
propulsion
Ion
Civil aero
1000 propulsion
propulsion

Braking Nuclear,
Industry Civil engineering

0
Minute Time Day Month Year Decade Century Duration of use

Figure 2: Various applications of CMCs in a schematic time-temperature

diagram (image sources: ArianeGroup, CEA, ESA, IRT Saint Exupéry, Safran)

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2.2 Current and future application areas 2.2.1

Space domain

The current market for CMCs in the space sector consists mainly of two
product targets: the necks and divergents of propulsion stage nozzles and,
to a lesser extent, thermal protection for planetary reentry vehicles or
dimensionally stable, temperature-resistant, radiation-resistant structures
for telescope mirrors or star-finding systems. Necks are currently used in
solid propulsion stages and are therefore subjected to extremely high
temperatures, well in excess of 2500°C, for durations of a few hundred
seconds.

The performance and reliability of the propulsion stage are directly linked
to the ability of the CMC throat to resist ablation, to limit heat transfer to
the other parts making up the nozzle and to withstand the resulting
thermomechanical stresses given the expansion differentials. These are
massive parts made from carbon fiber reinforcement and carbon matrix Source ESA

for which the highest possible density is sought.

This is a niche market that only concerns a few dozen parts per year, but the failure of which would result in the loss of the
launcher and therefore the mission. Divergents are used in both solid and liquid propulsion stages. These parts are based
on CMC made of carbon fiber and a carbon and/or silicon carbide matrix and must

withstand both significant mechanical stresses, mainly in the ignition and stage separation phases, and high temperatures,
which can reach almost 2000°C, for durations of up to several thousand seconds, as is the case, for example, for the
divergent of the Vinci reignitable engine of the second stage of Ariane 6. Unlike the necks, these are parts of non-
developable shape, which on the upper propulsion stages are generally very large (up to 2-3 meters in height and diameter)
because a high divergent exit section is favorable to the performance of the stage.

This is also a niche market and the know-how in the manufacture of very large CMC parts has made it possible to develop
a significant export market to date towards American engine manufacturers.

CMC thermal protection for planetary reentry vehicles began to be developed as part of the Hermes spaceplane project in
the 1980s. The use of CMCs allows the direct design of a hot structure capable of both withstanding the significant heat
fluxes of atmospheric reentry and ensuring the maneuverability of the vehicle while maintaining the aerodynamic profile.
Although this represented a real technological advance compared to existing solutions based on ablative materials, the
premature termination of the Hermes project did not allow these parts to be tested in real atmospheric reentry conditions.
This objective was successfully achieved in 2015 thanks to the flight of the ESA-funded shuttle IXV.

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Figure 3: VINCI Ariane 6 divergent; Ariane 5 MPS nozzle neck; Protection

IXV thermal (sources: ArianeGroup, ESA)

2.2.2 Aeronautical field

As already mentioned, the largest mass production of ceramic composites today still concerns
aeronautical braking. France, through Safran, remains the world leader in the production of carbon
brakes, equipping most of the heat sinks of civil and military aircraft (Figure 4).

Figure 4: CMC C/ C brake disc and heat sink (source: Safran)

Although the benefits and therefore the target components may be different between military and
civil aircraft, CMC technologies are dual. Therefore, there is a convergence of development of key
technologies required for the design of different materials and associated processes, characterization
methods, and component design methods and tools.

The main interest in the field of propulsion of future military vectors (aircraft, drones, etc.) is an
increase in specific thrust, inducing an overall increase in operating temperature, characterized by
the EGT [Exhaust Gas Turbine or T41] temperature. The current objective for the next generations
of military turbomachines is to achieve an EGT of around 1750°C.
To achieve such operating temperatures, technical studies are oriented towards carbide-type CMCs,
coated with a dual thermal and environmental barrier, for the design of high-pressure turbine
components (rings, blades, nozzle) and potentially low-pressure turbines. In addition to the resulting
weight saving, only CMCs will allow this increase in operating temperature of turbine modules,
without resulting in very complex and air-consuming cooling systems that will require the maintenance
of technologies

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usual metallic. The other area of interest for CMCs is in the afterburner modules of combat aircraft, in terms of
durability, resulting in an increase in service in operational conditions. Indeed, the parts of this module, in
particular the exhaust nozzle flaps, often Convergent/Divergent, for the latest generation aircraft, are subject to
extremely severe thermal cycles, linked to the ignition of the afterburner and to highly heterogeneous thermal
flows, due to the arrangement of the nozzle flaps "in petal" and by the presence of hot wakes in line with the
"flame holder" arms. In this environment, nozzles of metallic design can have limitations of service life, an effect
which will be amplified by an increase in the overall temperature of the engine. It should be remembered that in
this application area, France was the first to introduce a CMC nozzle, on the Rafale combat aircraft, as soon as
the engine was qualified

M88.

Figure 5: CMC nozzle of the Rafale aircraft (sources: DGA, Safran)

Concerning civil transport, the need to converge towards decarbonization and a reduction of its environmental
impacts, while evolving in a context of increasing air traffic, imposes drastic changes in the design of future
aero-turbines, even if significant improvements have already been made on the latest generation engines such
as the CFM-LEAP. In Europe, the future requirements of the field of aeronautical construction are of an
economic and environmental nature and essentially governed by long-term objectives resulting from the
recommendations of the ACARE (Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research and Innovation in Europe) and
CORAC (Conseil pour la Recherche Aéronautique Civile) working groups in France. This involves, in particular,
reducing perceived noise by 50% (-10 dB), reducing nitrogen oxide (NOÿ) emissions by 80%, reducing carbon
dioxide (COÿ) emissions by 50% , and exceeding the fuel consumption reduction target of 15%, all at costs
acceptable to the market. This implies a reduction in the overall mass of aircraft (structure and propulsion
system), and an improvement in engine performance with a reduction in its cooling requirements (with the
corollary of an increase in operating temperatures). The materials currently used in engines and nacelles no
longer allow us to meet this dual challenge: mass reduction and temperature resistance. The major
"Environmentally Responsible Aviation" [ERA] program led by NASA also describes medium-term objectives
that must be achieved to meet the next constraints in terms of noise, pollutant emissions and fuel consumption.
NASA has proposed an estimate of the gains in future engines, through the sole action of ceramizing
components: the design and production of HP and LP mobile and fixed blades, HP turbine rings and the
combustion chamber in CMC could lead to an overall net reduction of 6% in fuel consumption and a reduction
of more than 33% in NOÿ emissions.

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The performance of CMC materials, demonstrated by all technological tests and engine demonstrations, for more
than 10 years now by major engine manufacturers in the field, confirms the great potential of this technology. Two
demonstration examples are presented in Figures 6 and 7.

has

Figure 6: CMC blade demonstration for RBP1 CFM56, (a) integral textile technology,
(b) bulb foot test, (c) complete CMC RBP1 wheel for CFM56 ground test (source: Safran)

Central body tested on the ground on Central flight tested on A320

Central body tested on GEA
Mechanical tests CFM56 - performance MSN-001 - Risk Mitigation
acoustic bench
of sub-elements validation

Figure 7: Demonstrator of acoustically treated afterbody (low frequency) in CMC:

from technological tests to EASA certification for flight on Air France airliner (source: Safran)

In this context, the main objectives of CMCs and associated potential gains are shown diagrammatically in Figure 8.
A strong investment must be made in France in ceramic composites to gain a competitive edge in the design and
production of future aeronautical propulsion systems. We also note that this approach is now included in the
technical strategies of all major engine manufacturers (General Electric, Safran, Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Witney, IHI,
etc.), with a level of R&T effort that is also very significant.

Figure 8: Aeronautical engine gains from the use of CMCs (source: Safran)

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2.2.3 Defense domain

The French Defense Ministry is primarily interested in CMCs in two areas. The first concerns aeronautical
propulsion, which was detailed above, where CMCs will be present in the hot parts of the turbojets that will
equip the NGF (Next Generation Fighter) of the European (France, Spain, Germany) SCAF (Future Air
Combat System) program. In general, these materials will be used in new military engines due to the
performance gains made possible by ever higher operating temperatures.

The second area concerns missiles, where current applications (strategic oceanic force) and those in
development (hyper-speed) are located on the one hand at the propulsion system level and on the other
hand on the structure of the vector, which is subject to kinetic heating. CMC technology is essential for this
type of weapon.

Since the 1990s, CMCs have been increasingly used in high-speed air-breathing systems, including tactical
missiles, both for propulsion (particularly ramjets) and aerostructures, fuselages and arresting points. The
specificities of industrialization solutions, cost, use and the commonality of interests with the sizing sectors
of "cold" composites of existing tactical missiles, lead to specific options for "hot" composites, in particular
ceramic matrix composites.

To date, thanks to the strong support of the DGA, ArianeGroup and MBDA have the composite production resources corresponding
to current needs and the production rates of the projects concerned, as well as sizing and justification methods capable of taking
into account the specific features of CMCs.

For these strategic areas, the effort must not be relaxed to prepare for future applications and capabilities.

While for ballistic missiles qualification firings are major events in the development process of CMC parts
equipping these vehicles, for tactical missiles it has been possible, since 1990, to conduct tests in
environments representative of CMC structures in the Bourges-Subdray ramjet wind tunnel, over durations
corresponding to real applications and on full-scale systems.
nature.
In Bourges, production facilities have even been modified to incorporate the manufacture of functionalized
CMC structures. This support from the DGA in this (discreet) process lasting several decades is accompanied
by occasional support, for example, from the Centre Val de Loire Region or European Community bodies for
extrapolation to applications other than defense.

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2.2.4 Nuclear industry sector

The CMC market in the nuclear reactor field is exclusively limited to SiC/SiC at this stage.
stage and currently consists of two targets: the fuel cladding and core parts (control rods, grids, guide tubes, etc.) of the
fission reactors and the materials that will face the plasma and radiation of the fusion reactors.

Figure 9: Prototypes of nuclear fission fuel cladding tubes (© Stroppa)

Control rod prototypes for very high temperature reactors (VHTRs) [Katoh et al, 2012]

Figure 10: Proposed use of CMCs in a high-temperature

nuclear reactor core [Baccaglini et al, 2003]

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In a context where security and performance are essential, CMCs (SiC/SiC) must be able to meet numerous
challenges, which are:
improving the safety of current reactors in relation to accident situations by increasing the resistance of
the core to very high temperatures in a corrosive environment, the
th
development of 4th generation reactors thanks to the good behaviour of CMCs at high temperatures in
neutral (nominal operation) and corrosive (accidental situation) environments, the development of
resistant structures to be placed in front of the plasma of fusion reactors or to produce the tritium blanket
modules in these same reactors.

2.2.5 Other industrial sectors

The CMC market in the industrial sector remains to be developed to date. Indeed, thanks to their
particular temperature resistance properties, particularly those with strong gradients, as well as
their acceptance of deformation greater than that admissible for a usual ceramic, the scope of
CMCs can be very interesting for applications that are less demanding in terms of certification
than space or aeronautics. Let us note some initiatives that may be interesting, such as high-
temperature structural parts in heavy industry where metals (sensitive to creep) and monolithic
ceramics (too fragile) cannot meet the needs.
Concrete examples include technical parts for industrial furnaces (injectors, burners or flanges)
(Figure 11) or the linings for high-level nuclear waste storage cells. A final example is the needs
in the chemical industry where particularly corrosive environments are present. This is the case
in the processes used for the reprocessing of nuclear fuels where CMCs could present an
interesting alternative to metal alloys.

Figure 11: CC composite tooling for temperature shaping of titanium parts

(top) and heat treatment trays (bottom) (Source: ArianeGroup)

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2.2.6 Motor racing field

Motorsport, whether Formula 1 or other championships, is a niche market for CMCs but above all a
real technological laboratory for experimenting with and developing temperature control solutions
(thermostructural parts, thermal protection and heat flow management).
The solutions developed are mainly in the engine, braking, and exhaust gas management areas.
Some exterior bodywork elements that are too close to the exhaust systems are also made of CMC.
Most Formula 1 teams and engine manufacturers have been using CMC for over 15 years.

Various motor racing competitions are concerned by these applications: Formula 1, WRC, DTM,
IndyCar, SuperGT and even on the Le Mans prototypes. The main added values of CMCs in these
applications are the weight savings by supplying parts that are 2 times lighter than titanium and 4
times lighter than steels and superalloys and the reinforcement of safety through the control of
temperature and flames.

Figure 12: Example of a CMC exhaust manifold (left) and thermal

imaging of the part in use (right) (source: Pyromeral Systems)

2.2.7 New mobility domain

The CMC market in the "mobility" sector is currently mainly focused on the design of lithium-ion
battery packs, particularly for eVTOL ("Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing"), i.e. electric aircraft
with vertical take-off and landing. Indeed, the use of these batteries exposes the company to risks of
thermal runaway, pollution and fire.
CMCs, refractory and lightweight, solve this problem. They do not release harmful fumes or gases
and meet the strictest fire safety requirements.

Figure 13: PyroKarb ® CMC plate before a battery thermal runaway test (left)
and after the test (right) (Source: Pyromeral Systems)

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2.2.8 Examples of current and potential markets

MARKETS
CURRENT/POTENTIAL

High Temperatures Average Temperatures Low Temperatures

Propulsion of tactical and strategic

missiles, including ramjets and high-speed
propulsion of tactical missiles
Low cost solutions
Defense area Propulsion
temperature elongation
missile part Back-to-school body Lightened fuselages
Maybe shielding
Fuselages, noses, wings and
aerodynamic control surfaces for very high
speed defense systems

Necks and divergent nozzles for Thermal shields and other

Dimensionally spatial
engines reusable parts for launchers and
Spatial structures
Thermal protection for planetary reentry planetary reentry vehicles
stable,…
vehicles

Fighter aircraft afterburner module

Fighter jet nozzles
Helicopter nozzles Warm pieces at the edge of
Aeronautics High and low pressure turbine parts for military
Civil aircraft exhaust rear body CMO
and civil aero-turbines

Aeronautical braking

Plasma facing structures in fusion reactors

Core materials of the
Core materials of the
Nuclear energy) Core materials of reactors fusion and fission reactors
generation III reactors
Generation III and IV in situation generation IV
accidental

Industrial furnace elements – reactors

petrochemicals Heat shield/buffer – radiolucent Thermal insulation –

Industry
Cooking supports – burners – window radio-transparent window
chemical reactors

Exhaust and End-pipe (exhaust

Casing Batteries: Fire/Flame Protection Thermal barriers for turbos
Competition / outlet) for drone and
eVTOL: electric Vertical Take-off and and brakes in competition
Mobility vehicles
Landing vehicles
competition

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3 INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL CONTEXTS

3.1 International environment

In Europe, besides France's leading position, the other players are Germany and the United Kingdom and, to a much smaller
extent, Italy (with the exception of potential non-public applications in the field of defence).

In Germany, CMC activity is federated in the Arbeitskreis (AK) Verstärkung Keramische Werkstoffe (reinforcement of ceramic
materials) of the DKG (German Ceramics Society), which has become the "CMC network" of the Composites United
association. It brings together members of universities and research centers, Fraunhofer Institutes (ISC/HTL Bayreuth, ICTS
Dresden), the DLR aerospace agency, which plays a very important role, large manufacturers such as SGL, Schunk and
ArianeGroup GmbH, and SMEs/ETIs such as Pritzkow, WPX and BJS. The strengths of German activity are, on the one hand,
C/C and C/SiC for automotive braking and, on the other hand, the development of furnace parts for industry. In oxide/oxide
composites, Germany is on the verge of taking the European leadership. Building a complete development and supply chain is
a priority for them. It is currently the only country in Europe, along with France, where ceramic filaments are being developed.

In the UK, the National Composites Centre has invested in the creation of a dedicated CMC development unit; it also supports
the Cercomp UK project, which aims to provide the UK with an autonomous supply chain for CMCs for aeronautical propulsion.
Academic support comes from universities such as Birmingham, Sheffield, Bristol, Imperial College, etc.

On the defense front, the former DERA agency, now QinetiQ, appears to have lost its CMC vision. In the aeronautics field,
most activities are carried out with the support of the United States, particularly Rolls-Royce USA and its Cypress research
center.

In Italy, the activity is not specifically federated. A few academic centers (Politecnico di Torino, Università di Pisa, ISSMC-CNR)
stand out for their activity and their presence in European projects; in addition, several national agencies are present (ENEA
(energy agency), CIRA (aerospace agency) in particular). In terms of research, the two strong points are, on the one hand, the
development of CMC assembly techniques and, on the other hand, the development of ultra-refractory matrix CMCs (UHTCMC).

Elsewhere in Western Europe, only a few isolated activities are found in Spain, Slovenia, Slovakia and Poland.

The Russian Federation, heir to the USSR, also has activity in this field, although it is difficult to quantify or sometimes even
identify. This activity is primarily based on a group of polytechnic universities (St. Petersburg, Belgorod, etc.) and the Academy
of Sciences (Moscow, Chernogolovka, Syktyvkar, etc.). The JSC Kompozit company is clearly referenced in the production of
CMC, even though it is very modest in size.

In the USA, the first thing that stands out is the very important role played by NASA, the DOE (Department of Energy) and the
DOD (Department of Defense) in funding and developing applications and structuring R&D for these materials. Major
aeronautical engine manufacturers (General Electric (GE), Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney) also directly fund R&D programs.

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GE is the world's most advanced engine manufacturer in creating a complete supply chain, from design to mass production of
aeroturbine components; to this end, it has developed international partnerships (Nippon Carbon, Safran). For civil nuclear power,
Westinghouse and General Atomics (GA) play a similar role and provide dynamic support. For space and defense, there are various
players such as Lockheed-Martin, SpaceX, and others developing CMCs. The current geopolitical context is leading them to redouble
their activity in the latter area. Thanks to companies such as COIC, 3M, AXIOM, and CHI, industrial manufacturers of filaments, semi-
finished products, and/or CMCs, the American supply chain is robust.

In Asia, four countries are to be monitored:

In Japan, the JFCC (Japan Fine Ceramics Center), universities (Tokyo University of Technology, Tokyo University of
Agriculture and Technology, etc.), agencies such as JAXA and JAEA, and major industrialists such as IHI, Mistubishi,
Kawasaki (aeronautics) and Toshiba (nuclear), have joined forces to create a CMC Center (CMCC) at Tokyo Tech (headed
by Professor Kagawa). Their strengths are the domestic production of non-oxide and carbon filaments, a strong ceramic
culture and a concerted vision for CMC development and research.

In South Korea, there are mainly activities around C/C for braking, with the DACC company, nuclear SiC/SiC under the
aegis of the atomic research agency KAERI and some defense activities.

In China, activity in the CMC field is all-round, with a strong military-backed structure through Polytechnic Universities
(such as NWPU in Xi'An, NUDT in Changsha and BeiHang University in Beijing), with associated Technology Centers.
There is intense patent filing activity (including national "re-innovation") and scientific publications. China is currently the
country that publishes the most in the CMC field, with a marked preference for materials with dual applications: C/C
reinforced by ultra-refractories, CMC with specific electromagnetic properties (absorbent or transparent), etc. China is also
equipping itself with a complete supply chain ranging from the production of ceramic filaments to all types of CMC.

India has seen strong growth in CMC activity in recent years, particularly in Institutes of Technology (IITs) and research
centres (e.g. NAL), with support from the space agency ISRO and defence-related agencies (DRDO).

On the economic front, according to various reports from financial analysts - whose opinions are widely divergent - CMCs
would represent a global market volume of between $3 and $12.6 billion in 2022, with an average estimate of around $8
billion. CMCs would represent between 5 and 10% of the volume of the composites market in general, with a Consolidated
Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of around 9% which would have been maintained for many years; some analysts even predict
a significant increase in this growth by 2030, up to 14%.

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Figure 14: Number of scientific publications (articles and conference proceedings)

listed by Scopus on the keywords “Ceramic-Matrix Composites” and “Carbon/ Carbon
composites”. Total number of publications per year since 1969. Below, the distribution by
country for the entire period 1969-2023 (left) and for the last 6 years (right)

US

China

France

United Kingdom
Germany
Japan

Figure 15: Annual evolution of the number of patents on CMC technologies

(carbon/ carbon not included)

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Indicators of CMC activity in individual countries are patent and publication statistics. A search analysis using
keywords such as "ceramic-matrix composite" and/or "carbon/carbon composite" (Figure 14) shows that the
total number of publications is currently growing linearly.
In terms of publications since 1969, France is in 7th place worldwide, behind the USA, China, Japan and
Germany, but if we restrict the search to the last 6 years, France falls to 11th position.

In terms of the number of patents, France is very well positioned, especially in recent years, just behind China,
which has experienced strong growth over the last two years, and the United States, of course, which is
patenting significantly on this subject.

3.2 French sector

3.2.1 Academic (teaching and research)

Academic research on CMCs is very active in France in various fields ranging from formulation and processes
to behavioral studies as well as modeling of materials and assemblies.

This is why a GDR dedicated to this type of composite material (GDR CNRS 2065 (CMC)2) was set up by the
CNRS in 2019, following several scientific groups (GS, CPR, PRC, FUI projects) bringing together academic
and industrial players.

This GDR brings together 19 CNRS joint research units associated with several sections of the CoNRS
(sections: 15, 9, 10, 5), but also Directorates or Departments of the CEA, ONERA and Andra as well as the
main national manufacturers (ArianeGroup, DGA, MBDA, Pyromeral Systems, SAFRAN Ceramics, Saint-
Gobain) manufacturing and/or using ceramic composites. The IRT Saint Exupéry, linking the industrial world to
research, is also a major contributor. The GDR constitutes a group for scientific exchanges between its different
actors through workshops and scientific days on subjects of common interest, traditional or prospective, with
the objective of consolidating the French scientific community and developing collaborations between the
different partners.

In terms of training, university masters and specific training courses in the final year of engineering school are
more dedicated to composite materials as a whole, with some presentations by experts on ceramic composites,
or on ceramics but without a specific view on composites; there is, however, no master's level training dedicated
to CMCs and the various aspects that concern them. This constitutes a barrier to the dissemination of knowledge
and culture of these specific materials.

Within the GDR, a thematic school entitled 'ceramic composites: an overview' was organized and brought
together around a hundred participants from the various GDR entities, showing a strong interest in this type of
training among young engineers and researchers: CMC culture is almost absent from their training. Many
workshops organized by the GDR provide a complementary perspective on more specific subjects.

It is clear that a wider dissemination of this knowledge would, from a general point of view, provide those who are still unfamiliar
with a better understanding of these composites and thus extend their use in the industrial environment.

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3.2.2 Map of the main national players in the field

The following table presents the French players involved in CMC materials and associated technologies.
Players are present at all levels; however, this table does not reflect the structure of an efficient supply
chain .

Figure 16: Mapping of French actors linked to CMC materials and associated technologies

Figure 17: Main national operational actors on CMCs

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3.2.3 Public donors and sources of financing

Currently, the main sponsors in this technological field are the DGAC, the DGA (AID), the ANR, the ANRT and the Nouvelle
Aquitaine region, which has actively supported this sector of activity for many years.

To date, we have found that it is difficult to obtain funding other than through application programs, but these only address
relatively advanced technologies in terms of TRL. This state of affairs does not allow for the sustainability and development of
a solid common base of national skills in this area (disruptive technology, innovation and fundamental research).

3.2.4 Strengths and weaknesses

Until now, many projects have been managed in a relatively isolated manner with few coordinated initiatives
between clients, end users, industry players, manufacturers and academics.
The current situation leaves an impression of opportunity rather than of a global approach illustrating a
shared vision: this is the challenge of structuring this French ceramic composites sector.

Forces Weaknesses

Area of excellence in France Dependence on extra-European supplies

Leading industrialists in the field of basic products
Expertise in basic sciences Materials not democratized due to
Technologies in service lack of knowledge of performance and
Concrete application areas identified specialized training and teaching

Niche market
Structuring the national sector

weak mainly due to strong confidentiality

in this area

Cost of these materials still too

high for certain applications

Opportunities Threats
Contribution to the reduction of Entry into the market too late
carbon footprint by improving the energy compared to competitors
efficiency of systems. Downgrading and loss of leadership
Loss of competence
Geopolitical evolution and associated Loss of industrial capacity
awareness: strategic technology for our
sovereignty Limited use of “conflict
minerals”
High growth potential

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4 SOCIAL AND STRATEGIC ISSUES: ROLE OF CMCs

Any national scientific and technical ambition must be accompanied by a constant concern to respond to the strategic
and societal challenges that France will have to face in the years to come.
As far as ceramic composite materials are concerned, we can already think in the short and medium term.

4.1 Societal issues

Among the major societal challenges of the 21st century are limiting global warming and properly managing energy
resources. CMC materials can contribute to both. In the short term, the need to lighten structures in the transportation
sector is a technologically obvious choice. Indeed, any weight gain has a direct impact on consumption and, therefore,
on the carbon footprint.

With current fuels, this effect is direct; with other types of so-called decarbonized energy, this advantage is reflected in
the mass of on-board energy storage. In all cases, operating an engine at very high temperatures increases engine
efficiency and therefore reduces consumption.
less.

In this respect, ceramic composites are, as illustrated in paragraph

2.1, four times lighter than traditional metals. They therefore provide
undeniable added value in terms of the mass of structures and
engines.

Furthermore, in terms of sustainability, it has now been clearly demonstrated that CMCs provide added value in all areas
where metals do not have a sufficient lifespan due to corrosion or resistance to high temperatures and where traditional
technical ceramics have lower mechanical strength and resistance to thermal shocks.

This very good thermomechanical resistance allows, for example, aircraft engines to operate at higher temperatures and
therefore offers opportunities to reduce fuel consumption.
In heavy industry, CMCs also have high potential to contribute to energy efficiency.
The use of CMCs for new mobility, particularly as battery case materials, helps secure these future technologies.

More generally, CMCs offer specific protection against a wide variety of accidental events (radioactive element leaks,
fires, etc.). Investments to address these challenges will need to focus on reducing manufacturing costs by optimizing
processes in terms of energy and duration. This reduction can be achieved through innovation by imagining new
processes or through optimization using realistic and appropriate digital modeling. These induced scientific and
technological obstacles will be detailed in paragraph 5.

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4.2 Strategic issues

Transportation, energy, and access to space are areas where the stakes are not only economic but also strategic. France must
maintain significant independence in these areas.

While the first two can be learned on a European scale, the third with its Defense component represents
a real strategic issue of independence and national sovereignty.

As the historical reminders in Chapter 1 show, the history of CMCs is closely linked to the growing
maturity of French independence in the field of nuclear deterrence.

All current and future spacecraft, because they are subject to high
thermal stresses, require or will require ceramic composites. They
allow for longer (high energy) and faster (high flux and Mach)
flight.
The CMCs will remain a necessary step for maintaining national
independence and sovereignty in the area of access to space
and responding, with regard to civil space, to the two main
challenges which are:

the preservation of European independence for access to space and return to Earth thanks to:
Economical launchers by reducing the cost per kg put into orbit, and versatile, i.e. capable of
putting into orbit both clusters of hundreds of small satellites and very large and expensive
satellites such as the James Webb telescope recently successfully put into orbit by Ariane 5;
Economical
and reliable transport systems capable of safely bringing both cargo and humans back to Earth.

France's ability to position itself quickly on emerging markets which, within the framework of the
New Space, could be expected to grow;

France's energy independence also represents another strategic challenge. In this area, nuclear energy
is one of the pillars of the French energy mix. One of the most important issues related to this energy
is waste storage. Here, CMCs can also play a role. Indeed, their long-term physicochemical stability
combined with high rigidity make them good candidates for lining long-term high-level waste storage
cells, replacing current steel solutions.

Future investments to address these strategic challenges will need to focus on the performance and
dissemination of ceramic composite materials culture in academic and industrial sectors.

Increasing performance exactly where needed requires, as in the previous paragraph, innovation in
design (reducing design cycles and clever concepts) and perfect control of margins using realistic and
adapted digital modeling. These scientific and technological obstacles will be detailed in paragraph 5.

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5 SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL LOCKS TO BE OVERCOME

For CMCs to fully participate in the development of high-performance technological solutions to

address the societal, strategic, and economic challenges outlined above, many scientific and
technological challenges remain to be addressed. These can be classified into four categories:

5.1 Improving the performance of these materials

Although equipped with exceptional performance, CMCs would see their use grow significantly if substantial progress
were achieved in the following areas:

Fragility - Deformability
Even though they are much less fragile and more deformable than monolithic ceramics, the fact remains that the
elongation at break properties of these materials may, for certain areas of application, either still prove insufficient or
complicate the justification procedures.

Maximum operating temperature

Despite the high melting points of ceramics, the preservation of mechanical properties and geometric profiles at very
high temperatures and aggressive chemical environments of CMCs still requires numerous developments to, for
example in the aerospace field, increase the performance of propulsion systems by improving the ablation resistance
of nozzle necks.

Variability of properties
These materials often exhibit high property dispersions that reflect process and constituent variability. Reducing this
dispersion would facilitate the control and justification of CMC parts.

Waterproofing of structures
The damage mode of these materials (multiple matrix cracking) makes them inherently non-watertight beyond their
linear elasticity range. For certain applications (nuclear reactor cladding, tank, etc.), the watertightness of CMC
structures must be guaranteed until their ultimate failure (well beyond the linear elasticity limit). It is therefore
necessary to develop solutions to address this issue.

Operation under neutron irradiation The constraints

related to irradiation are particularly severe and require the use of suitable components for SiC-based CMCs. Currently,
the SiC filaments on the market and the available interphases are not optimized for this application and do not offer all
the necessary guarantees for their use. It is therefore necessary to modify, develop and validate a new filament/
interphase pair for SiC/SiC CMCs intended for operation under neutron irradiation.

Electromagnetic and Electrical Performance There

is currently no integrated approach to designing and optimizing a CMC solution that simultaneously has targeted
electromagnetic properties and withstands harsh thermal, mechanical, and chemical environments. Examples include
radome technologies or high-temperature structural stealth materials.

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5.2 Ensure production at acceptable costs

The implementation of ceramics most often requires long, energy-intensive and costly processes,
which can be prohibitive to the development of these materials. But, beyond the manufacturing
processes, it is the entire life cycle of the material, from the availability of raw materials to its
recycling, which presents major technological obstacles:

Availability of constituents and raw materials

Although the vast majority of chemical elements constituting CMCs are abundant and readily
available (C, Al, Si, etc.), their supply in the form of processed semi-finished products (e.g., textile
reinforcements) is not always easy. Some applications today require the use of raw materials under
stress, such as rare earths, for which it is necessary to secure their supply or identify solutions that
allow them to be dispensed with.

Reduction of production costs

Despite their exceptional performance, the industry's infancy and high production costs remain a
major obstacle to the development of CMCs. The development of a supply chain for raw materials
and semi-finished products and less expensive processes appears essential.

Ability to manufacture very large CMC parts

Some applications require the ability to manufacture very large CMC parts. Monobloc manufacturing simplifies the manufacturing
process and reduces the final mass of the part. Having the resources and processes capable of manufacturing large monobloc
parts with guaranteed material quality at every point of the part would constitute undeniable added value compared to the
competition.

Mastery of assemblies (CMC-metal – multi-materials)

Integrating CMC parts into a system requires mastery of assembly processes that must take into
account very significant differences in characteristics between the materials to be assembled and
operation over a potentially very wide temperature range. This remains an area of innovation that is
still too little explored.

Production and service control

The multi-scale aspect of these materials, their damaging nature and the coupling between damage
and chemical degradation make control in production and then in service particularly complex. This
is an essential development area for the diffusion of CMCs, particularly for long-term uses.

Repair and recycling

Given the "youth" of these materials, the development of repair and recycling processes is still in its
infancy, with the primary focus being on development. Furthermore, developing these processes for
ceramic-based composites remains a technological barrier. It is essential to develop R&D in this
area.

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5.3 Justify and certify CMC parts more easily

Demonstrating the ability of a CMC part to meet a need requires detailed knowledge of the behavior of these "new"
materials in environmental conditions and for very varied stresses as well as the availability of justification/certification
methods that are both accepted by the community of users concerned and take into account the specific behavior of
CMCs. The associated obstacles are:

Adapted experimental and numerical methodologies Characterizing

and modeling the behavior of such complex materials over a very wide range of temperatures and stresses still requires
significant methodological developments. The scarcity of data generates ignorance, which can lead to the implementation
of conservative justification rules. The interest of CMCs for an end user is greatly reduced: for example, in the aerospace
sector, the mass balance of parts is less favorable.

Lifespan
The evolution of CMC properties as a function of chemical degradation is a necessary step in developing long-term
applications (aeronautics, nuclear, etc.). The coupling between chemical degradation and damage complicates any
accelerated aging approach, which makes strong R&D actions in this field all the more necessary.

The method of fault detection

In order to be able to decide on the lifespan or reuse of CMCs, it is necessary to be able to detect, position and size in situ the
states of damage and degradation in situ
of the CMCs and the manufacturing defects.

Justification/Certification Methods The

existing justification/certification methodologies are currently based on the framework for metallic or CMO materials, for
which feedback is more extensive and failure or destruction modes are different. This approach can be very disadvantageous
for CMCs. Specific methodologies should be developed.

5.4 Developing CMC culture

The very low or even non-existent diffusion of CMCs in high-volume industrial markets and even more so in the general
public makes it very difficult to develop a "CMC culture" capable of facilitating the emergence of new markets, new
applications or new functionalities for these materials.
In this field, the main avenue for progress is to develop the teaching of CMCs in academia. The proportion of teaching
devoted to the description and behavior of these materials is still far too low in universities and engineering schools in
France.
The corollary to the weakness of CMC education is that the lack of CMC culture in design offices increases the aversion to
the "risk" associated with the introduction of a new technology.
This mindset actually limits technological innovation and industrial competitiveness and makes it more difficult to develop
innovative concepts to take advantage of the full potential of CMCs.

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6 REPORT AND ACTION PLAN

The authors of this white paper, who are actively involved in the development of these materials and their applications, consider
it essential to maintain and increase the dynamics of this French CMC community.

This synthesis exercise, the results of which are recalled below, leads us to make four recommendations.

1 2 3 4
Lift the locks by strengthening the
Maintain the dynamics of the
Research and Technology in the Structure and
French CMC community
Consolidating the raw field, particularly on four key themes develop training on
in its industrial and
materials supply chain academic dimensions around identified as being mutualizable
CMC, widely
a scientific and technological
(paragraph specially detailed in chapter distributed.
research ecosystem
6.2)

6.1 Balance sheet

Composites with a matrix resistant to high temperatures and multifunctionality often represent the only solution to difficult
problems and extreme environments. These CMCs, whose potential and strategic and economic interest have been summarized
in this white paper, have thus been for more than 50 years a skill for which France holds a recognized global position, on the
scientific and industrial levels. In this key field of ceramic composites, France has achieved several "world firsts" and its industrial
and scientific fabric has adapted and diversified, as strategic issues and the global and European environment have evolved, as
new markets have emerged.

In addition to the historical applications (aerospace and defense, particularly for Deterrence), land vehicles and airliners have
been added (CMC's first tonnage manufactured was French, and concerns "carbon brakes"), civil nuclear power, furnaces and
heavy industries.

The barriers that still limit the use of CMCs to address the challenges of tomorrow are scientific, cultural, industrial, geopolitical,
technical, financial, and organizational. These barriers, along with the associated societal and economic issues (sovereignty,
ecology, expanding uses, etc.), have been addressed in this white paper.

A group of French experts in “academic” research (CNRS, universities, schools, etc.) and “industrial” research
(Safran ceramics, Ariane Group, MBDA, Pyroméral, Saint-Gobain, etc.) and "intermediate" research organizations (CEA,
ONERA, Andra, IRT Saint Exupéry, etc.) conducted an in-depth and concerted reflection on the technological field of CMCs.
This led to the emergence of a common awareness: it is essential, beyond existing programs and developments, and often
bilateral collaborations, to "do more" in R&T to ensure the sustainability and development, controlled but open, of French
sovereignty of CMCs. We must think about tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.

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Past and recent achievements therefore show that, for CMCs, the diverse and dynamic French scientific and technological
base must be accompanied by a concerted and shared R&T effort, structured by its stakeholders, combining public and private
funding, to have a solid sector to meet the challenges that await France in this strategic technology, whatever the European
and international context. Let us repeat: basic research and application projects, our ability to seize opportunities from French
or European research projects, exchanges such as those of the GDR (CMC)², ... all this will not be enough for France to
approach the coming years at the right level when more and more applications, often strategic, require the mastery of CMCs,
and many countries are devoting much greater efforts to them than those that France and Europe are able to afford.

6.2 Four recommendations

Recommendation 1: Consolidate the raw materials supply chain

It is essential to ensure a sustainable supply of raw materials and semi-finished products, in order to consolidate our
independence for the development and production of CMC components. Indeed, we must protect ourselves from any potential
restrictions linked to changes in the geopolitical context that could lead to changes in export control rules, but also be able to
export
propose a competitive bidding process. To consolidate this supply chain, control
reflections and actions must be carried out at the
national level or, where appropriate, at the European level.

Recommendation 2: Maintain the dynamics of the French CMC community

The creation of the CMC² GDR and the drafting of this white paper have helped cement the French CMC community. It is
strongly recommended that a lasting structure be established to maintain this momentum. We propose to maintain this
momentum with the support of the key players in the sector.

Recommendation 3: Remove barriers by strengthening Research and Technology in the field,

particularly on four key themes identified as being mutualizable

We have identified four themes that we have collectively chosen to prioritize for this scientific and technical sector of CMCs,
which is both so specific and so strategic. This investment could be relatively reasonable and affordable, but we believe it is
necessary to coordinate it in France to be more fruitful and efficient within the next ten years.

These 4 themes could be supported by the manufacture and provision of “school materials” (for example one for the oxide/
oxide class and another of the C/C/SiC type) allowing the development of common know-how while freeing itself from the
constraints of industrial property and confidentiality. (Cf.
Annex 1)

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Recommendation 4: Structure and develop widely disseminated training on CMCs

This white paper, written by all the experts from French industrial and academic players representing ceramic composites, offers
targeted and prioritized recommendations to consolidate and develop France's capacity to meet the sovereign challenges underlying
this sector.

The training effort will help remove the cultural barrier, a significant obstacle to the development of this class of composites in more
diverse fields. The aim is to develop initial and continuing training, particularly by creating master's degrees and/or specialized
courses in engineering schools dedicated to CMCs.

To find out more:

https:// gdr-cmc2.cnrs.fr/

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Annex 1

Theme 1: Life cycle analysis of CMCs

This R&T activity aims to take advantage of advanced life cycle management approaches to develop a CMC sector in
France that is in line with current economic and environmental challenges, repair and recycling techniques, by anticipating
or even proposing regulatory restrictions, and by reducing costs. It could include 4 axes:

Axis 1: Processes - reduction of the carbon footprint, effluent treatment, etc.

Axis 2:
Recycling Axis (search for sectors), recovery of possible rare earths, filament scraps (SiC, Oxide, etc.), solvolysis, grinding/
screening, etc., including through the recycling of semi-finished products Axis 3 Methodology (including anticipation of regulatory

developments and sharing and implementation of Axis 3: highlighting good practices)

Axis 4
Axis 4:Repairability, maintenance, reusability (extension of service life)

Theme 2: Multiple modeling of CMCs

This involves developing thermal, mechanical, and thermophysical modeling, coupled with what is already being undertaken
in a dispersed manner. This activity could be carried out around four axes:
Axis 1: Small-scale modeling of CMCs (molecular dynamics, discrete elements, phase fields, uncertainty modeling and
probabilistic methods)
Axis 2
Axis 2:New tools to assist in the modeling of CMCs (artificial intelligence, adaptation of algorithms to quantum computers, etc.)

Axis 3: Tests on generic parts (model materials also called “school”)

Axis 4:
Axis 4: “Non-confidential” engineering (example: use case of a generic assembly).

Theme 3: Modern characterization of CMCs, tests and standards

The aim is to provide France with the methods and means of characterization in line with the challenges of the 21st century
for CMCs. This activity could be structured around six axes:
Axis 11:Identification of important means: creation of representative multi-axial-multi-physical multi-instrumented benches

Axis 2: Methodology of test-calculation dialogue at the test specimen scale

Axis 3:
“Top of Pyramid” Test Axis shared between industrialists, academics and organizations “
R&T intermediaries
4:Standards: establishment of co-financing to maintain activity with AFNOR, strategy
Axis 4
French presence and prioritization of themes
Axis 5: Determination of CMC properties not yet accessible by known tests
Axis 6: Metrology – determination of margins of error

Theme 4: controlled control of CMCs in production and in service

The aim is to significantly improve non-destructive testing capacity by combining and developing currently known or used
methods, identifying and evaluating breakthrough technologies, and taking advantage of advances in other sectors (medical,
astronomy).

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This activity could develop along 5 axes:

Axis 1: Non-destructive testing of large parts with high-performance resolution at the industrial level Axis 2: Thermography,
relation
tomography on small parts, analysis scale Axis 2: Axis 3 : Definition of what a defect is in
possible
to the “natural” variability of a CMC, establishment Axis 3: of a “defect library”. A state of the art should be done as soon as
to clarify this Axis 4: Axis 4 Inspection in service, in tests, process control, state of the art on sensors
from
other fields and other French and European actors, use of electrical stimuli, self-diagnosis, Axis 5: Support for control by modeling
(including high-performance computing)

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BENMEDAKHENE Salim
is Director of Research, Development and Industrialization at Pyromeral;
he has been in charge of developing the Defense and Aeronautics
business since 2018. After completing a doctoral thesis followed by a
qualification to direct research at UTC Compiègne in the field of composite
materials, Salim Benmedakhene was CEO of AETech from 2001 to 2014,
before joining the TECHNIP group to head the Control & Measurement
entity in charge of developing inspection solutions for subsea oil
installations and qualifying solutions based on composite materials for
great depths up to 3000 m.

BOUCHEZ Marc
An electromechanical and then aerospace engineer, Marc Bouchez was
hired in 1989 by the Aerospatiale group and has used CMCs since the
early 1990s for high-speed air-breathing propulsion, within the MBDA
missile ramjet team, holding various research and development positions,
managing national or international projects or teams, responsible for a
missile engine, and currently coordinator of Research and Technology for
the Ramjet Department. He is a Senior Propulsion Expert for the European
MBDA group, which designated him as its focal point for the GDR (CMC)².
In June 2022, the French Astronautics and Aeronautics Association
awarded him its Scientific Excellence Award.

BOUILLON Eric
Engineer and Doctor of the University of Bordeaux, he began his career in

THE the field of solid rocket propulsion for space launchers, and then held
several positions in the development of CMC technologies for more than
twenty years. Currently at Safran Ceramics, he is Scientific Director and
Safran Emeritus Expert, in charge of Upstream Studies Programs and
Technical Audit. He is also Director of the Scientific Council of the GdR
(CMC)2, member of the HT-CMC congress and member of The American
Society of Mechanical Engineers.
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CATALDI Michel
has participated throughout his professional career in the development of CMCs at ArianeGroup,
where he was particularly interested in the characterization and behavior of these composites.
A senior expert in this field, he is also president of the AFNOR B43C and CEN TC184 SC1
standardization committees for CMCs and vice-president of the AMAC and SFEC scientific
associations.

COSCULLUELA Antonio
has been a Senior Scientific Officer at the CEA since 2019. He holds a PhD in Physical
Mechanics obtained in 1992. He has conducted research in the field of mechanical behavior of
ceramics at high loading speeds and then on the thermomechanical behavior of ceramic and
carbon materials at high temperatures. He was seconded for four years to a joint research unit
in the field of CMC (LCTS) and then headed a laboratory for dimensioning and numerical
simulations of materials and structures. He is a member of the Boards of Directors of the
THE
following companies:

DYMAT and AFM scholars. He has been a member of the Scientific Council of various
International conferences.

FERRES Laurent
is an engineer in mechanics of materials and structures, responsible for the Aquitaine site of
IRT Saint Exupéry and for ceramic composite skills in this research institute since 2016. These
skills in composites and industrial process technologies for composites, powders and ceramics
were acquired at Michelin first in the 2000s then at Pechiney and finally Rio Tinto between 2003
and 2015, in research and development as well as in technology transfers and production.
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GOMEZ Philippe
is head of the "Materials and Technologies Platforms and Propulsion
Department" at DGA Aeronautical Techniques, a DGA test center where
he is a Materials Expert for Propulsion. He has been working on CMCs
since the early 1990s and has participated in the mechanical and
physicochemical characterizations and numerical modeling of successive
generations of thermo-structural composites since the Hermès program.
His role as an expert is to advise the architects of armament programs, led
by the DGA, on the use of materials for propulsion or high-temperature
applications.

HOURQUEBIE Patrick
is a research director at the CEA. He obtained his Habilitation à Diriger
des Recherches in 2000 for his work in the field of polymers, and more
specifically the link between their structural properties and their usage
properties for different applications (mechanical, dielectric, electrical,
optical, microwave). During his career at the CEA/DAM, he held various
positions in the field of materials (team and project leadership) which
allowed him to extend his expertise to the field of ceramics and then
ceramic composites. He is currently a scientific delegate for the CEA at
the Thermo Structural Composites Laboratory (LCTS).

AUTHORS

L MAYOR Jean-François
is a composites expert in the Materials and Structures Department at
ONERA. A PhD from the University of Franche-Comté, he has been
developing behavior and damage models for ceramic and organic matrix
composites for over 30 years. He headed the Composite Materials and
Structures Department (2011-2016) and then the Materials and Structures
Department (2016-2018) at ONERA for several years.
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REYNAUD Pascal
is a CNRS Research Officer - HDR at the MATEIS laboratory at INSA Lyon.
His research activities focus mainly on the thermomechanical behavior and damage of ceramic
composite materials. He participates in the activities of the AFNOR B43C “Technical Ceramics”
commission on the standardization of test methods for ceramics and ceramic composites. Since
January 2019, he has been deputy director of the GDR CNRS 2065 (CMC)² “Ceramic
Composites: Design, Modeling, Characterization”.

SAUDER Cedric
is a senior researcher and expert at the CEA. He has conducted research in the field of
mechanical behavior of CMCs and more specifically of Carbon and SiC filaments for which he
has developed characterization equipment up to very high temperatures. He has been involved
for 15 years in the development and refinement of processes for the production of Carbon and
SiC reinforced CMCs for nuclear and/or industrial applications.

THE

VILLERMAUX Franceline
is responsible for the Ceramics and Refractories Technology Group at the Saint-Gobain
Research Center with over 25 years of expertise in formulations, forming processes,
consolidation techniques and characterization processes for industrial ceramics. She has been
developing the range of oxide ceramic composites for 5 years based on Saint-Gobain's Quartzel
vitreous silica filaments for industrial and aeronautical applications and is working on its
extension to aluminous reinforcements.

VIGNOLES Gérard L.
has been a professor at the University of Bordeaux since 1994, he has been head of the
Thermo Structural Composites Laboratory (LCTS) since 2016 and of the CNRS Research
Group (GDR (CMC)²) since 2019. His main skills are the physicochemical modeling of thermo
structural composites, manufacturing processes as well as mechanical, thermal and ablation
behaviors.
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