HARVEST will unleash the potential of breakthrough technologies by creating integrated multifunctional systems for Aeronautics via the development of i) Structural composites, comprised of hierarchical carbon fiber (CF) reinforcements and an innovative thermoset 3R (repair, recycle and reprocess) epoxy matrix with ThermoElectric Generation (TEG) and self-repair capabilities, ii) Autonomously TEG -driven integrated systems for on- and off-line structural health monitoring-(SHM) and iii) Wired and low-power wireless SHM data transmission and mining system. The innovative intelligent materials and parts, will be manufactured in purposefully developed pilot lines aiming at reducing production time and costs. CFs yarns or textiles will be coated with nanomaterials using facile & environmentally friendly deposition and doping methods in a Roll-to-Roll (R2R) pilot line targeting dramatically increased TEG performance compared to existing composites, carbon and organic based materials. Innovative TEG-hierarchical composites will be manufactured with new generation 3R thermoset matrix systems enabling out of autoclave manufacturing and self-repair. These will be interfaced with a purposely designed hardware to (i) power inherent functionalities (e.g. strain, damage or UV-exposure sensing), (ii) drive external elements (e.g. piezo electric sensors for SHM) and (iii) transmit sensing signals to a remote panel. The autonomous SHM systems will increase the safety of civil aviation; reduce emissions and maintenance & life cycle costs. The proposed technologies will be finally integrated in two aircraft demonstrator parts, targeting areas with temperature gradients (e.g. engine vs. environment, inside vs. outside fuselage during flight) or where quick heat dissipation is essential (e.g. landing gear after take-off). The location of suitable heat sinks in real structures will be established using advanced numerical tools to identify thermal gradients in operating environment.

The “European Green Deal” aims at Europe as the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. Research and innovation on technologies allowing intense exploitation of renewable energy is paramount. Renewable energy sources are, for their very nature, fluctuating, and potentially generating extreme conditions. Adaptation and optimisation of current processes to changes caused by increased use of renewable energy sources is particularly important in energy-intensive industries. Novel materials are needed to sustain conditions, such as higher temperatures and corrosive environments and, at the same time, guarantee energy efficiency and high-performances. Materials potentially able to withstand such extreme conditions keeping excellent thermo-mechanical properties already exist, but are currently used only in sectors such as aerospace due to the high production costs: Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs). In CEM-WAVE we aim at introducing an innovative CMC production process, based on Microwave-assisted Chemical Vapour Infiltration (MW-CVI) technologies. This novel proposed process will extremely reduce processing costs, thus making CMCs sustainable for process industries in energy-intensive sectors such as steelmaking. In more detail, CEM-WAVE aims at validating, in a radiant tube furnace, a small scale CMC-based tube embedded with sensors, substituting Inconel/Stainless steel alloys currently employed. The research and innovation work will be flanked by Artificial Intelligence (AI)-aided modelling research to predict the material behaviour, and will develop innovative joining and coating technologies to produce complex shaped components and further improving their high-temperature corrosion resistance. Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life-Cycle Costing (LCC) and Thermoeconomic Analysis (TA) will guarantee that the project follows at every step the best directions in term of sustainability and future market uptake of the generated results.