Cost-Effectiveness Concept applied to the development of advanced materials

Now that the aerospace industry is no longer a dream, but a promising marke t, high performance structural materials are in great need. For such applic ations, Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) are hopeful candidates. However, o ne of the most important problems actually hindering CMC research and devel opment is the high cost of common process routes. To try to solve such prob lem, a new concept for the R&D of advanced materials such as CMCs is propos ed, namely, the Cost-Effectiveness Concept (CEC). This concept is one way t o bring together scientific and technological targets. In this work, this s trategy will be defined and then illustrated in the case of the elaboration of 3D CMCs and of the development of oxidation protection materials.