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Blueshift to showcase AeroZero thermal protection for advanced composites

Phil Black - PII Editor 1 hour ago

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Blueshift to showcase AeroZero thermal protection for advanced composites

Research with Toray Advanced Composites examines thermal, mechanical and dielectric performance of AeroZero laminates

Blueshift will showcase research into AeroZero® thermal protection laminates for advanced composite structures at CAMX 2026, highlighting how lightweight polyimide aerogel materials can help reduce heat transfer in demanding composite applications.

At the event, Modess Seyednezhad, Thermal Engineer at Blueshift and lead author of a new study developed in collaboration with Toray Advanced Composites, will present research examining the thermal performance of AeroZero® thermal protection laminates when integrated with different composite material systems.

The study evaluates thermal performance, post-exposure mechanical properties and dielectric behaviour across structural and low-dielectric composite systems. The findings provide insight into how the thickness of thermal protection and the properties of the underlying composite can influence the response of a structure when exposed to elevated temperatures.

The research is particularly relevant to applications where thermal protection, low weight and composite performance need to be considered together.

AeroZero polyimide aerogel laminates tested with Toray composites

The study evaluated thin AeroZero® polyimide aerogel laminates applied to three Toray materials: TC380 epoxy-based carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP), Toray Cetex® TC1225 thermoplastic CFRP and BTCy-1 low-dielectric composite.

The three composite systems were selected to examine the performance of AeroZero thermal protection across different material architectures and application requirements.

TC380 and TC1225 underwent controlled conductive heating with a heater setpoint of 500°C, followed by mechanical testing. BTCy-1 was evaluated under 300°C conductive heating, with dielectric characterisation also carried out on that material system.

This testing approach allowed the researchers to assess not only the ability of AeroZero laminates to reduce heat transfer but also how the protected composite structures performed following thermal exposure.

Thermal protection thickness affects composite temperatures

The research found that increasing the number of polyimide aerogel layers reduced cold-side temperatures.

The greatest benefits were observed in the thinner TC380 and TC1225 substrates, demonstrating that the interaction between thermal protection thickness and substrate properties is an important factor when designing composite structures for elevated-temperature environments.

The findings highlight that the thermal response of a composite structure cannot necessarily be considered independently of its thermal protection system.

Instead, the performance depends on the relationship between the thermal protection thickness, composite substrate and overall multilayer construction.

For engineers designing advanced composite structures, this relationship can be important when determining how much thermal protection is required without adding unnecessary material or weight.

Mechanical performance after thermal exposure

The study also investigated how the composite materials retained their mechanical properties following exposure to elevated temperatures.

Following the 500°C heating tests, AeroZero®-protected TC1225 specimens retained approximately half their original compressive strength and up to 67% of their interlaminar shear strength.

However, mechanical retention depended strongly on the underlying composite material.

TC380 experienced substantially greater degradation under the tested conditions, demonstrating the importance of considering the composite substrate when evaluating the performance of a thermal protection system.

The findings reinforce the need to select the thermal protection system and composite substrate together, rather than treating thermal protection as an isolated material specification.

This is particularly relevant to advanced composite applications where structural performance after thermal exposure can be as important as the initial reduction in heat transfer.

Dielectric behaviour of thermally protected composites

The research also examined the dielectric performance of the BTCy-1 low-dielectric composite following integration with the thermal protection system.

Dielectric testing showed relatively stable behaviour at 1-6 GHz after TPS integration.

At higher frequencies between 10-60 GHz, the researchers observed more complex frequency-dependent behaviour. Higher dielectric losses were recorded compared with the control particularly at 40-60 GHz.

These findings highlight the importance of considering the complete multilayer construction when designing thermal protection for radiofrequency applications.

For composite structures used in environments where electromagnetic and thermal performance both need to be controlled, adding a thermal protection layer can influence the overall dielectric response of the system.

Understanding these interactions during the design stage can therefore help engineers account for the combined effects of the composite substrate and thermal protection materials.

Thermal protection must be evaluated as a complete system

The research highlights a broader consideration for engineers working with advanced composites: thermal protection performance needs to be evaluated within the context of the complete composite structure.

The performance of a thermal protection laminate can be affected by the thickness and characteristics of the underlying composite as well as by the number of protection layers used.

The results from the Toray collaboration demonstrate this principle across structural CFRP, thermoplastic CFRP and low-dielectric composite systems.

For applications where weight, structural performance and thermal management all need to be balanced, understanding these interactions can help guide material selection and system design.

AeroZero thermal protection for advanced materials

AeroZero® is a polyimide aerogel material designed for applications requiring lightweight thermal protection.

Aerogel materials are known for their low density and thermal insulation characteristics, making them of interest for applications where reducing heat transfer needs to be balanced against weight and space constraints.

The CAMX research examines the use of thin AeroZero laminates with advanced composite materials, providing data on thermal performance as well as the mechanical and dielectric characteristics of the resulting systems.

This system-level approach is relevant to engineers developing composite structures for demanding thermal environments, where the addition of thermal protection needs to deliver the required performance without creating unnecessary mass or design complexity.

Blueshift to present research at CAMX 2026

CAMX 2026 takes place in Atlanta, Georgia, from 21-24 September.

Seyednezhad will present the research under the title “Thermal, Mechanical and Dielectric Performance of Toray CFRP Composites with AeroZero-Based Thermal Protection Laminates” on 23 September from 1:30-1:55 p.m.

The presentation will provide the composites and advanced materials community with an opportunity to examine the findings from the collaborative research and consider the implications for thermal protection design.

“This work demonstrates the importance of evaluating thermal protection across the wider composite system, rather than as an isolated material property,” says Tim Burbey, Co-Founder and President at Blueshift.

“CAMX will provide a great opportunity to share these findings amongst the composites and advanced materials community and to discuss how material design can help address thermal challenges without adding unnecessary mass or complexity.”

Thermal management for orbital computing

During CAMX 2026, Burbey will also present on the thermal-management challenges of orbital compute.

The presentation will explore how lightweight thermal protection materials and spacecraft architectures could help support higher-power computing in space.

As computing requirements in space develop, thermal management becomes an increasingly important engineering consideration. Spacecraft architectures need to accommodate the thermal loads generated by higher-power systems while managing constraints around mass, available space and overall system design.

The presentation will provide a further opportunity for Blueshift to discuss the role of lightweight thermal protection materials in advanced aerospace and space applications.

The two presentations highlight the wider role of advanced materials in addressing thermal challenges across demanding environments, from composite structures exposed to high temperatures through to spacecraft designed for higher-power computing.