A limitation in the aerospace industry is the lack of lightweight materials that can withstand high temperatures without losing their mechanical robustness for applications in supersonic/hypersonic flights. The current generation of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic and titanium alloys fail to sustain their properties at elevated temperatures. Carbon-carbon (C-C) composites have been studied for nearly four decades, but their lead time has hampered their use in industries. We are developing a 3D printing (i.e., direct ink writing) method to produce reinforced C-C composites. This adoption of rapid prototyping would significantly reduce the production time and allow functional and complicated structures to be manufactured.
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