Greener Flying: TOSCA Paves the Way for Sustainable Aircraft

CIDETEC Surdace Engineering advances circular composites with high-thermal-stability vitrimers through european collaboration

Aviation is on the verge of a major transformation: The European research project TOSCA is pioneering new ways to make aircraft more environmentally friendly. The goal is to develop new sustainable processes that enhance both the efficiency of producing modern high-tech materials — so-called composites — and their recyclability. These materials are essential for building lighter, more fuel-efficient aircraft. With a budget of over €4.5 million from the Horizon Europe program, TOSCA brings together leading research institutions and industry partners. By 2027, they aim to develop solutions that will help reduce aviation’s environmental footprint—an important step toward more climate-friendly flying for all of us.

The Challenge: Composite Recycling in Aerospace

Fibre reinforced composite materials are essential for lightweight, fuel-efficient aircraft, but their recycling remains a major challenge. Currently, less than 15% of composite materials are recycled, with the rest either landfilled or incinerated. There are still unresolved challenges on the production side as well. Oftentimes, more waste than useful material is produced in established production processes. Since carbon fibre composite materials are derived from petroleum-based precursors, unused waste directly translates into additional CO2 emissions every year. As the aerospace industry moves toward greater sustainability, new technologies are needed to remedy these shortcomings while maintaining high performance.

Fibre reinforced composite materials are essential for lightweight, fuel-efficient aircraft, but their recycling remains a major challenge. Currently, less than 15% of composite materials are recycled, with the rest either landfilled or incinerated. There are still unresolved challenges on the production side as well. Oftentimes, more waste than useful material is produced in established production processes. Since carbon fibre composite materials are derived from petroleum-based precursors, unused waste directly translates into additional CO2 emissions every year. As the aerospace industry moves toward greater sustainability, new technologies are needed to remedy these shortcomings while maintaining high performance.

TOSCA aims to develop a new processing chain for composites made with epoxy vitrimer resin, a next-generation material that maintains the strength and durability of traditional composites while significantly improving recyclability. Unlike conventional resins, which are permanently hardened after curing, vitrimer resin can be made soft again using heat and pressure, making repairs faster and extending the life cycle of components. At the end of their lifespan, these materials can be safely chemically recycled or be reshaped and given new purpose in a different application, paving the way for a truly circular composite economy. The project will also develop a highly automated manufacturing process chain tailored to the new composite materials. With the inclusion of integrated inspection systems, allowing for automated quality control and digital process monitoring, the project aims to create a zero-defect manufacturing process, optimizing material usage.

Partner Contributions: A Collaborative Effort for Sustainability

Project TOSCA unites leading research institutions and industry partners across Europe, each bringing their own expertise to tackle the challenges of composite manufacturing and recycling. PROFACTOR, as both project coordinator and technology provider, is spearheading efforts in automation, AI-driven inspection, and digitalization to develop smart manufacturing processes that enhance quality, efficiency, and sustainability.

CIDETEC Surface Engineering will formulate and develop an advanced epoxy vitrimer resin with high thermal stability. This innovative material will significantly enhance the composite’s repairability and recyclability, while maintaining the mechanical strength and durability of conventional composites. CIDETEC’s contribution is crucial to enabling a circular approach in composite usage, aligning high-performance requirements with sustainability goals.

The other partners, GMI Aero (France), FIDAMC (Spain), AIMEN (Spain), ITA (Spain), ÉireComposites (Ireland) and Addcomposites (Finland), are contributing specialized knowledge in their area of expertise to ensure TOSCA’s success. By the end of the project, the TOSCA consortium aims to deliver a fully optimized, sustainable manufacturing process that will shape the future of aerospace composites—reducing waste, lowering emissions, and increasing Europe’s strategic autonomy in advanced materials. Stay tuned as we take the next steps toward a more sustainable aerospace industry.

Stay tuned as we take the next steps toward a more sustainable aerospace industry.

This project is entirely funded by the European Union, under the topic HORIZON-CL5-2024-D5-01-08 of the Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON), grant number 101191394. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Learn more about TOSCA: https://www.tosca-project.eu