DLR: Pioneering Sustainable Materials for Aerospace

As a key partner in BIOntier, the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) is leading efforts in Use Case 4, which focuses on developing sustainable alternatives for aerospace components specifically, an access panel for a training aircraft.

🧩 From Carbon Fiber to Bio-Composites

The current component design uses carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy resin with a honeycomb core, a high-performance solution that unfortunately comes with a heavy carbon footprint and limited recyclability.

To tackle this, DLR and its partners are developing a new version of the panel made from a thermoplastic composite combining flax fiber and bio-based PA11. This innovative structure aims to significantly improve environmental performance while maintaining mechanical integrity.

🛠️ Developing Processes and Standards

DLR is responsible for designing and optimizing manufacturing routes and defining testing procedures for these novel materials. Their tasks include:

• Exploring new and existing production and recycling techniques

• Leading the “Testing, Validation and Assessment” work package

• Coordinating testing efforts among all project partners

• Establishing standardized methods for both mechanical and non-destructive testing

These efforts aim to ensure that sustainable materials can meet the rigorous standards of the aerospace sector.

🔍 Toward a Common Testing Framework

DLR’s leadership in testing and validation is vital for creating a coherent, cross-partner testing standard within BIOntier. Through their work, they’re helping to set a benchmark for reliability and reproducibility in sustainable aerospace component development.

DLR’s work is not only pushing the boundaries of material innovation but also paving the way for environmentally responsible aerospace engineering—a core ambition of the BIOntier project.

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