2025-11-30 |
On November 28, 2025, the kick-off meeting for the project “Stable ceramic fiber composites for high-temperature hydrogen processes” (H2CMC) took place. The project consists of two joint industrial research (IGF) projects: “R2C2 – Pseudo-continuous fiber reinforcement from recycled raw materials for ceramic matrix composites with innovative performance profiles and increased sustainability” and “HOTH - Influence of H2- and H2O-containing atmospheres on the properties of all-oxide ceramic matrix composites for thermal process technology” and is part of the IGF call for proposals “Key technologies for the energy transition.”
The two joint projects have the common goal of developing ceramic matrix composites that are specifically suitable for the production and use of hydrogen for the first time. What is special here is that both all-oxide and non-oxide ceramic composites are being developed and tested under conditions close to those of actual use. In order to make the use of ceramic matrix composites more attractive and facilitate market entry, cost-reducing measures are also being investigated, such as the use of recycled raw materials, which also significantly increase the sustainability of ceramic matrix composites.
Under the coordination of DECHEMA e.V. and Composites United Leichtbauforschung gGmbH, 25 companies commissioned the following research institutions to carry out the research: Chair of Ceramic Materials at the University of Bayreuth, DECHEMA Research Institute, Composites United Leichtbauforschung, Fraunhofer IGCV in Augsburg, and DITF in Denkendorf.
Funding began on October 1, 2025, and will run until March 31, 2028. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) is funding the two sub-projects as part of the “Key Technologies for the Energy Transition” program with around 1.4 million euros.
The objectives of all IGF joint projects are to promote innovation among German SMEs and pre-competitive research. For this reason, the project partners of the two sub-projects met with representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises in particular at the kick-off meeting. These representatives map the process chain within the projects and provide the partners with advice and support throughout the entire duration of the project.
Picture: The H2CMC project team meets for a kick-off meeting in Bayreuth to develop resource-efficient ceramic matrix composites for hydrogen applications.© Georg Puchas
