From fibre production to fabric: InVECOF advances mullite oxide fibres for CMC applications

The development of advanced ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) requires progress across the entire manufacturing chain, from fibre production and thermal processing to the preparation of materials that can be integrated into composite components.

InVECOF has reached another important milestone along this pathway, with mullite oxide fibres for CMC applications successfully progressing through several key manufacturing stages thanks to close collaboration between project partners.

The first stages, spinning and calcination, were carried out by Rath Group on an industrial production line. Each roving consists of 500 filaments with a linear density of 1,800 denier, with approximately 1 km of calcined roving produced per bobbin.

The material then progressed to continuous sintering, including sizing, at the Fibre Pilot Plant of Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC. Following this step, more than 10 km of sintered roving was delivered to Porcher Industries, where the material is being woven into fabric for use by other project partners.

The progress demonstrates how complementary expertise across the InVECOF consortium is being connected along the manufacturing chain. By linking industrial-scale spinning and calcination with continuous sintering, sizing and subsequent textile processing, the partners are steadily advancing the material towards its use in industrial-scale CMC applications.

This milestone represents another concrete step in InVECOF’s work to advance oxide fibre technology and translate material development into manufacturing processes relevant for future CMC applications.