The AM-ACTS project aims at demonstrating the feasibility of using active microfluidic cooling for enhancing the performance of thermal protection systems fabricated from ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs) and refractory metals for use in aerospace, energy-generation and many other engineering applications. For this purpose, novel actively cooled thermal shields (ACTS) will be developed (starting at TRL?2 and targeting TRL?4) consisting of additively manufactured high temperature ceramic- and/or metal-based thermal protection elements containing an internal, bioinspired microchannel network. Unlike conventional Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) relying on passive thermal insulation provided intrinsically by the materials employed in their construction, the proposed alternative will enable active refrigeration of the material/s used as a shield via the circulation of an appropriate coolant through the internal microchannel network and, eventually, their release to the surrounding environment to produce transpiration-film cooling. The temperature reduction in the materials of the shield thus achieved will enable an increase in the maximum service temperature of the system and/or expanding the service lifetime of the thermal shields at a given operating temperature. An increase of the maximum service temperature will translate into increased energy efficiency on turbines and rocket engines, for example, and augmented service lifetime will facilitate reusability, reduce the maintenance costs and minimize waste, all of it contributing to increased sustainability and reduced environmental impact in all the multiple potential applications of these shields. Such increase in the service lifetime will come through a reduction in the oxidation and degradation rates of the materials as a consequence of the temperature reduction provided by the active cooling. Selection of the optimal cooling agent and the required flow to minimize such degradation rate will be a key goal of the AM-ACTS project. Optimization of the design of the microchannel network with the aid of numerical simulations will also be essential for that purpose too. Also key to the successful implementation of the project will be the development of appropriate and reliable UHTCs and superalloy feedstocks for the different AM processes to be used in the fabrication of the ACTS. Moreover, the project aims at optimizing the performance of the ACTS pieces through an optimization of its constituent materials. The material properties of the individual UHTCs plates will be maximized through optimizing their composition, refining the microstructure and the incorporation of reinforcements. These composite elements will exhibit enhanced mechanical performance in terms of strength and toughness, and enhanced erosion and oxidation resistance. Composition of the metallic phases will also be optimized in terms of corrosion resistance by applying protective coatings and by combining the refractory alloys with UHTCs in multi-material AM constructs. The incorporation of a microchannel network will also contribute to producing lightweight structures that could further contribute to the energy efficiency of the system, especially in aerospace applications. Sustainable and flexible fabrication technologies such as additive manufacturing (AM), and low-energy sintering processes like spark plasma sintering (SPS) and microwave sintering for sustainability will also contribute significantly to the environmental and efficiency goals .The key enabling technologies developed within this project will facilitate the design and manufacture of new structural materials for advanced thermal engineering applications with the potential to revolutionize multiple areas of high socio-economic interest (e.g. aerospace, energy generation, chemical industries, etc.), and enable the development of novel applications, opening up new market niches.

The development of next generation space exploration propulsion systems requires high temperature materials able to guarantee low density, high strength and ductility, oxidation resistance, good creep properties. High Entropy Alloys (HEA) are an excellent candidate due to their potential high specific strength and oxidation resistance at high temperatures and have been identified as possible replacement for superalloys in propulsion systems components. HEAs are relatively new class of materials and although since 2004 more than 600 HEA journal and conference papers have been published the whole HEA world still leaves un-answered questions. Therefore, in order to exploit these advancements on HEA, further work is needed. The main goal of ATLAS is to take over the present limitations and unsolved issues that limit the utilization of HEA through multidisciplinary materials design framework that advances the state-of-the-art of High Entropy Alloys and related materials compounds towards the practical needs (current and future) of the space propulsion industry. To achieve this ambitious result the following challenges will be addressed: defnition of an accurate material property database, design of the HEA, definition of Hybrid/Compound solutions with combination of HEA materials joined to Ceramics and/or Ceramic Matric Composites (CMCs) to create lightweight and temperature resistant functional materials, manufacturing of near-net shape manufacturing and materials integration/joining with Ceramics and CMCs. To produce the HEA materials and related compounds materials designed within the project two different additive manufacturing processes will be used from the production of coupons and samples to the final full scale demenstration, thus paving the path for the application of HEAs for the new generation of space propulsion.

Additive manufacturing (AM) has the economic potential to complement conventional manufacturing processes, especially in the production of complex, multi-material (MM) components. To exploit the full benefits of optimized lightweight structures, it is usually required to use multi-materials with different physical properties. Still, multi-material combinations from conventional processes are not transferable to AM, due to residual stresses, cracks or thermal expansion rates of the different materials. Furthermore, geometric shape and position tolerances, as well as recycling strategies for powder waste, post-processed waste and the component itself are not yet defined. Based on the 3D printing processes PBF-LB and DED, this project aims at the concurrent engineering of designing processable multi-material optimized alloys, development of design concepts for multi-material structures with specific simulations for load cases and topology optimizations, and an extensive process adaption. Alloy and process development will be aided by advanced integrated computational material engineering approaches that combine thermodynamics, microstructure, and process simulations through machine-/active learning, resulting in shorter material development cycles. For bulk and powder materials, recycling of multi-material components via innovative concepts will promote the sustainability of multi-material additive manufacturing. This adaption will lead to increased process reliability and speed, enabling the dissemination of MM manufacturing in AM for the entire industry. The consortium brings a wide range of international expertise to the table, from materials research and digitization to the manufacture of multi-material components. It consists of startups, research institutions and market leaders in additive manufacturing. Industrial end-users cover automotive, aerospace and aeronautic applications with specific use cases.

The main objective of HIPERMAT is the empowering of future low carbon technologies with new materials and components by their enhanced environmental impact reduction across the value chain. At least two new bulk refractory stainless steels, a high entropy alloy and a ceramic coating will be developed through advanced modelling, hidrosolification, LMD and ceramic coatings in new beam and ring prototypes with embedded sensors in a hot stamping furnace. This objective will be achieved by setting a strong basis gathering all manufacturing conditions across the value chain: from the manufacturing of main components (beams and rings) by sand casting and centrifugal casting, the engineering in the furnace construction and the final use of the equipment in hot stamping companies.These data will be used to develop the strategies for materials selection, embedded sensors development, environmental continuous assessment, advanced modelling, data capture and main tests to be performed for material and component validation. After this, materials will be tested for high temperature performance properties such as thermal fatigue, creep, crack growth rate and wear/corrosion. In parallel, new manufacturing technologies such as hidrosolidification, LMD and ceramic coatings will be developed and tested in component like geometries towards an easier and faster approach to final solutions. All these activities will be supported by advanced modelling architecture based on a combination of thermodynamic, thermokinetics, fluids dynamics, heat interchange and metal solidification physics together with model predictive control tools based on in artificial intelligence. The combined effect of material and technologies will be finally tested in component like geometries and, once validated, transferred to prototype components represented by beams and rings that will be integrated in a real furnace together with embedded sensors for continuous monitoring and comparison with standard components.

Europe’s industry is facing many challenges such as global competition and the big change towards energy and resource efficiency. topAM can contribute to these demands by development and application of novel processing routes for new oxide-dispersoid strengthened (ODS) alloys on FeCrAl, Ni and NiCu basis. Novel ODS materials offer a clear advantage for the process industry by manufacturing e.g. topology-optimized, sensor-integrated high temperature devices (gas burner heads, heat exchangers) that are exposed to aggressive environments. Alloy and process development will be targeted by an advanced integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) approach combining computational thermodynamics, microstructure and process simulation to contribute to save time, raw materials and increase the component’s lifetime. Physical alloy production will be realized by combining nanotechnologies to aggregate ODS composites with laser-powder bed fusion and post-processing. The ICME approach will be complemented by comprehensive materials characterization and intensive testing of components under industrially relevant in-service conditions. This strategy allows to gain a deeper understanding of the process-microstructure-properties relationships and to quantify the improved functionalities, properties and life cycle assessment. This will promote cost reduction, improved energy efficiency and superior properties combined with a significant lifetime increase. The consortium consists of users, materials suppliers and research institutes that are world leading in the fields relevant for this proposal, which guarantees efficient, high-level, application-oriented execution of topAM. The industrial project partners, in particular the SMEs, will achieve higher competitiveness due to their strategic position in the value chain of materials processing, e.g. powder production, to strengthen Europe's leading position in the emerging technology field of AM in a unique combination with ICME.