HIgh PERformance COmposite based on aluminium (HIPERCO)

The HIPERCO project will focus on the development of an innovative silicon carbide/aluminium nanocomposite powder for additive manufacturing (AM) and its upscaling by the preparation of its mass production with intermediate products coming from industrial partners of the project. The project will address the optimization of the additive manufacturing process for the particular case of the nano-composite powder demonstrated. In addition the use of aluminium chips as recycled raw material will be part of the project.

The objectives are the following:

1 to upscale the preparation of a nanocomposite powder, which combines aluminium (AL)powder together with silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles.

2 to demonstrate that the nanocomposite powder can be used in additive manufacturing, high-performance and low-weight parts for the aerospace sector will be created.

3 to prove the industrial scale feasibility of aluminium chips recycling into highly valuable powder using a close loop process.