Technology Days

Survivability of materials is paramount in future defence engineering to ensure mission success and personnel safety. By integrating composite materials with high durability, ballistic protection, and specific functionalities, defence systems can withstand threats such as explosions, projectiles, laser energy and electromagnetic weapons. Prioritising material survivability enhances the longevity of defence assets, reduces maintenance requirements, minimises downtime, and enhances the readiness and capability of armed forces.

High-temperature advanced materials, including thermally stable polymer and ceramic matrix composites, play a crucial role in future defence engineering. Offering exceptional heat resistance combined with high strength-to-weight ratios, these materials ensure reliability and durability in demanding applications such as thermal protection systems and propulsion. Their lightweight nature enhances mobility and agility in military equipment, paving the way for more advanced defence technologies.

Developing materials capable of withstanding extreme environments is essential for future defence engineering. These materials endure corrosive conditions, chemical immersion, electromagnetic radiation and other unique environments. Additionally, these materials perform under the demanding high-stress situations encountered in combat across all operational domains: air, land, sea and space.

• Smart materials technology 
• Nanomaterials technology 
• Metamaterials technology 
• Functional coatings for composites (polymer and ceramic) 
• Electro-Magnetic (EM) shielding 
• Protection from directed energy 
• Low-cost manufacturing processes for novel and functional materials 
• Novel composite reinforcement, metallised filaments, and complex hybrid weaving  
• UK sovereign materials science and technology for Defence 

• Mechanical Fastening Composites
• Adhesive Bonding Composites
• Welding Composites (Thermoplastic)
• Joining Strategies for CMC’s and Metallic Materials
• Joint Design
• Joint Inspection and Assurance
• Joint Durability and Testing
• Mechanical Fastening

• Manufacturing automation and self-adaptive manufacturing for defence composites
• Design for manufacture of defence composite, part-count reductionSmart Design, collaborative design processes engaging the knowledge supply chain
• Rapid prototyping technology
• Machine learning for preventative reduction of scrap-rate in defence composites production
• Digital tools for virtual testing, manufacturing process modelling, and digital twinning
• Certification and Qualification by Analysis for composites in defence

Composites for a Sustainable Future in Defence - 22 February 2023

• end-of-life recycling technology for composite materials that are specifically used in the defence sector
• lifecycle assessment approaches for composites in defence assets
• design for sustainability in defence
• composites technology that specifically enables alternative energy sources for defence applications, such as electrification and hydrogen power
• sustainable or bio-derived composite materials technology for defence applications
• technologies to enable the re-life or sustainable repair of composites in defence assets
• composite manufacturing technologies for defence applications with demonstrable reduction in energy usage (ie using less heat/electricity/fossil fuels). 

• High Tg polymer matrix composites technology (200C and above)
• Metal matrix composites technology for high temperature applications
• Ceramic matrix composites technology for high temperature applications
• Thermal barrier coatings for composites, heatshields and ablatives
• Novel materials for high temperature hypersonic flight applications
• Testing of high temperature composites (methods and standards development)
• Composites design for high service temperature
• Thermal modelling for composites in high temperature
• Joining technologies for composite assemblies in high temperature applications, i.e. thermal expansion matching

• Marine environment (surface and sub), saltwater, sea-ice and UV exposure
• Acoustic fatigue and acoustic-thermal fatigue (jet and rocket propulsion)
• Fire retardancy, resistance and containment, fire smoke and toxicity
• Materials and degradation modelling for composites exposed to ionising and non-ionising radiation
• Durability/exposure testing for composites materials
• Environmental resistance coatings or additives for composites  

• Shock load on composite in defence
• Impact resistance in defence
• Ballistic resistance in defence
• Blast resistance in defence
• Impact/ballistic modelling for composites
• Testing for impact and ballistic on composite
• New materials and manufacturing technology for impact/ballistic/blast protection