Ceramic Matrix Composites Market

The global ceramic matrix composites market is expected to register a significant CAGR of 12.21% during the review period. The growth of the global market is primarily driven by the extensive use of CMCs in the major end-use industries such as aerospace, automotive, electrical & electronics, and energy and power. Factors offering lucrative opportunities to the players in the market include increasing application of CMCs and Ultra-High Temperature Ceramics (UHTCs) to design and develop Ultra-High Temperature Ceramic Matrix Composites (UHTCMCs) as well as the use of CMC cladding in fuel rods of nuclear reactors. However, the high cost of CMCs is projected to hamper market growth during the review period.

Ceramic matrix composites are extensively used in the aerospace industry in the manufacturing of aircraft components such as gas turbine engines, engine nozzles, tail cones, nose cap, rudder, fins, leading edges, body flaps, panels, and other engine components. The advantages of using CMCs include excellent wear and corrosion resistance in a wide range of environments and temperatures, high strength to weight ratio, high strength retention at elevated temperatures, high chemical stability, and hardness, as well as lightweight. These materials are strong and weigh one-third as metals and can operate at 2,400° Fahrenheit, i.e., 500° higher than the most advanced alloys. The ability of CMCs to withstand high temperature enables the jet engine to run at high temperatures, which results in less emission of CO2 and NOX. The total economic impact of the aviation industry was nearly 3.5% of the world’s GDP, i.e., USD 2.7 trillion in 2014. According to the International Civil Aviation Organization, the aviation industry is expected to generate USD 5.9 trillion by 2034, i.e., a 122% increase from 2014.

The growing demand for lightweight and fuel-efficient military aircraft for homeland security and counterterrorism is a major factor expected to fuel the global market growth. The US Geological Survey stated in its Minerals Book 2015 that the global aircraft fleet is expected to double over the next 20 years. According to the US Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade Division, the total exports of the US aerospace industry held at USD 150.61 billion in 2018, which increased from USD 143.17 billion in 2017. The five major destinations for the US aerospace exports in 2018 were China, France, the UK, Canada, and Germany. The increase in aircraft production is attributed to the improvement in commercial aviation network, growth of the tourism industry, economic development, and increase in the number of air passenger traffic. Thus, the growth of the aerospace industry is expected to increase the demand for CMCs and drive the growth of the global market during the forecast period.

A project called C³HARME (Next Generation Ceramic Composites for Combustion Harsh Environments and Space) is a research project funded by European Union with USD 8.43 million under its Horizon 2020 Framework Programme. The main purpose of this project is designing, developing, manufacturing, and testing of a new class of CMCs based on ultra-high temperature ceramic matrices reinforced with silicon carbide or carbon fibers suitable for application in severe aerospace environments. This is because the carbon/carbon composites exhibit low erosion resistance while silicon-based ceramics, silicon/silicon or carbon/silicon composites may undergo strong ablation due to the formation and volatilization of silica. Recent studies on ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs) have shown that they exhibit outstanding erosion resistance at temperatures up to 2000°C or even higher, however, they cannot resist thermal shocks and damage. To overcome these technological limitations, the C³HARME project aims to combine the superior features of CMCs and UHTCs to develop ultra-high temperature ceramic matrix composite (UHTCMCs) with self-healing capabilities. The benefits of this newly developed UHTCMCs will be lightweight, damage and thermal shock resistant, high- temperature strength, and self-healing ability. C³HARME will implement the new materials in two applications, namely, rocket nozzles and tiles.

The development of new products using CMCs having superior properties is expected to offer lucrative opportunities for the players operating in the global market.

Ceramic matrix composites production requires a significant amount of energy, which increases the cost of the final product. This is because of the high processing temperature, resulting in complex manufacturing, thus increasing the cost. Additionally, long processing times and expensive raw materials increase the cost, having a negative impact on market growth. For instance, carbon fiber, which is used in the manufacturing of carbon/carbon CMCs, is produced from polyacrylonitrile. The production process involves burning off the raw material, thereby increasing the manufacturing cost.

Apart from this, lack of modeling and simulation tools, lack of trained personnel, and an immature supply chain are the other factors expected to hamper the market growth.

Moreover, shaping and processing of CMCs is slow and labor-intensive, which is time-consuming and increases labor cost. This also affects the cost of CMCs.

However, with the increasing technological advancements, the above-mentioned factors can be resolved.