The global aerospace composites market could reach USD 55 billion by the end of 2031, at a CAGR of 9% from 2021 to 2031. However, low-cost effectiveness of the manufactured composite parts is a major showstopper for the current European production for the aeronautics sector. Most parts are manufactured using autoclave processes, which are very expensive with low production rate. It is necessary to meet advances in materials, manufacturing methods and automation procedures that are aligned towards production and/or maintenance & repair cost reduction. AIRPOXY seeks to reduce the production and maintenance costs of composite parts in the aeronautic sector by introducing a novel family of thermoset composites that preserve all the advantages of conventional thermosets, but can also be easily processed and repaired, and even recycled. AIRPOXY is based on a new generation of smart epoxy composites called 3R, which are obtained by using dynamic hardeners that create reversible crosslinks in the cured thermoset resin. Once the 3R composite has been produced, the dynamic chemical bonds of the cured resin can be reshuffled under determined external stimulus such as temperature. Hence, the 3R composites are easily re-processable, repairable and recyclable. AIRPOXY had 2 main achievements. First, the development of a high performance 3R resin that meets the specific processing and performance requirements of the aeronautical sector. Second and based on the 3R resin formulated, the development of (1) a new processing technology for thermosets, 3R- Thermoforming technology, 35% cheaper than autoclave, reducing processing times by up to 87%, (2) a new 3R-Repair technology supported by Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) techniques, 55% faster than current patch techniques, and (3) 3R adhesive for 3R composites, with a similar robustness as the traditional adhesive bonds.
