Nanoe introduces ZrB₂-SiC composite for aerospace and defense applications

Nanoe is expanding into the ultra-high-temperature ceramics (UHTC) market with the release of a new ZrB₂-SiC composite designed for extreme aerospace and defense conditions. The material, composed of 80% zirconium diboride (ZrB₂) and 20% silicon carbide (SiC), will be available in powder form for traditional pressing and injection molding, as well as filament form for additive manufacturing.

The company reports that the composite contains doping agents, such as boron carbide (B₄C), enabling pressureless sintering at 2000°C in a partial argon atmosphere. This development aims to overcome a major limitation of UHTCs, which typically require pressure-assisted sintering that restricts part geometries and production scalability.

“UHTC ceramics have been extensively studied, especially for hypersonic flight applications, but commercial availability has lagged,” said Guillaume de Calan, Chief Executive Officer of Nanoe. “By offering the material in both powder and filament formats, we are enabling industrial-scale applications for the first time.”

The company claims that its material formulation enables dense parts to be produced by conventional sintering without the need for hot pressing. “While pressure-assisted sintering offers high density, it limits design flexibility. Our formulation supports both cold pressing and 3D printing with no compromise in density,” said Guillaume Bouchet Doumenq, Chief Technology Officer at Nanoe.

Early adopters of the UHTC include aerospace and defense research institutions such as NASA and ONERA, as well as a European defense prime and a New Space startup. Specific use cases have not been disclosed.