Ceramic Composites

For most thermostructural applications, ceramics fragility is a major disadvantage, so fiber-reinforced ceramics, with higher fracture toughness and pseudoplastic behaviour, have to be developed. The laboratory has a CVD/CVI pilot plant for the production of ceramic matrix composites (C/C, C/SiC and SiC/SiC composites), starting from gaseous precursors, the largest one of its kind operating in Italy. For the application in oxidative environments, suitable protective coatings are developed.

In addition, fire resistant and fully recyclable polymer matrix composites are developed for the aeronautical, automotive and building fields, starting from innovative prepregs consolidated with out-of-autoclave process (e.g warm pressing). The industrial applications are also studied with the support of the Emilia - Romagna regional government, within the Ravenna Technopole