News

On 28 November 2025, the kick-off meeting for the project ‘Durable ceramic fibre composites for high-temperature hydrogen processes’ (H2CMC) took place. The project consists of two joint industrial research projects (IGF): ‘R2C2 – Pseudo-continuous fibre reinforcement from recycled raw materials for ceramic matrix composites with innovative performance profiles and increased sustainability’ and ‘HOTH – Influence of H₂- and H₂O-containing atmospheres on the properties of oxide composite ceramics for thermal process technology’ and is part of the IGF call for proposals ‘Key technologies for the energy transition’.

The two joint projects have the common goal of developing composite ceramics that are specifically suitable for the production and use of hydrogen for the first time. What is special here is that both oxide and non-oxide composite ceramics are being developed and tested under conditions close to those of actual use. In order to make the use of composite ceramics more attractive and facilitate market entry, cost-reducing measures are also being investigated, such as the use of recycled raw materials, which also significantly increase the sustainability of composite ceramics.

Under the coordination of DECHEMA e.V. and Composites United Leichtbauforschung gGmbH, 25 companies have commissioned the following research institutions to carry out the research: Chair of Ceramic Materials at the University of Bayreuth, DECHEMA Research Institute, Composites United Leichtbauforschung, Fraunhofer IGCV in Augsburg and the German Institutes for Textile and Fibre Research (DITF) in Denkendorf.

Funding began on 1 October 2025 and will run until 31 March 2028. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) is funding the two sub-projects as part of the ‘Key Technologies for the Energy Transition’ programme with around 1.4 million euros. 

The objectives of all IGF joint projects are to promote innovation among German SMEs and pre-competitive research. For this reason, the project partners of the two sub-projects met with representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises in particular at the kick-off meeting. These represent the process chain within the projects and will be available to the partners throughout the entire duration of the project, among other things in an advisory capacity.