Arceon introduces novel CMC materials for space, defense

Source | Arceon, ESA, T-Minus

Arceon B.V. (Delft, Netherlands) was founded as ARCEON-Novel Elements in 2018. The company has developed its Carbeon family of high-performance carbon fiber-reinforced/carbon and silicon carbide matrix (C/C-SiC) ceramic matrix composites (CMC) for applications in space, defense and industry. In addition to the projects discussed further below — developing components for next-gen optical/laser communication systems with the International Space Station (ISS) and lighter weight solid rocket nozzles for hypersonic applications — Arceon is also working on components for metal treatment, electric aviation and molten salt reactors.

Bartolomeo’s “Euro Material Ageing” facility (right) is the newest platform on the ISS (left) and will expose up to 45 materials to the harsh environment of space for at least 6 months. Source | Airbus and ESA

Arceon was selected to deliver four materials for testing in the “Euro Material Ageing” project being completed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the French space agency CNES. The project will test up to 45 samples, which will spend a minimum of 6 months exposed to a challenging environment including ongoing sudden shifts in temperature from -150°C to 150° C, along with radiation, vacuum and even space debris. This combination of extreme conditions could cause cracking, misalignment and buckling of the test materials.

The materials will be tested on Bartolomeo, a new platform mounted onto the exterior of the ISS. The goal is to provide insight about how materials age in low-Earth orbit (LEO). All four Arceon samples provided to ESA have passed vibration testing and are expected to be onboard a launch in Q3-Q4 2024.

In addition, Arceon samples have shown two orders of magnitude lower erosion than carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) under the presence of atomic oxygen (O₁), which can produce oxidation in the materials and/or etch away their surface. The material samples which will return from the ISS will be compared to samples that underwent O₁ tests in a laboratory setting. This is expected to reveal significant insights into better understanding the ageing of materials in LEO.

T-Minus and Arceon team develop a lightweight launch rocket nozzle. Source | Arceon, T-Minus

In addition, T-Minus (Delft), which produces sounding rockets and solid rocket motors, is teaming with Arceon, which specializes in developing materials designed to withstand extreme conditions. In this collaboration, Arceon is leveraging its Carbeon CMC material to develop a high-performance solid rocket motor nozzle. Arceon’s Carbeon-UHT (ultra-high temperature) CMC will significantly reduce nozzle weight while sustaining hypersonic pressure and thermal loads.

This innovation aims to accelerate production and streamline the manufacturing process, potentially reducing costs by 30-40%. Moreover, the new design promises to enhance performance while maintaining the existing system's form factor. This strategic focus on the defense market is intended to rapidly rebuild inventory and offers partners a competitive edge through superior technology and cost-efficiency.