Editorial of special issue on ultra high temperature ceramic matrix composite: Design and application

Based on systematic studies, SiC ceramic matrix composites (CMC-SiC, mainly including C/SiC, SiC/SiC and their self-healing modified composites) have been successfully used as moderate temperature and moderate loading parts in aero-engines, thermal protective systems and aerospace structures [[1], [2], [3], [4]]. To fulfill the application requirements of CMCs in even more extreme environments, preparation and characterization of ultrahigh temperature ceramics (UHTCs), UHTCMCs and multifunctional CMCs have been investigated [[5], [6], [7], [8], [9]].

In the present special issue, you will find a selection of the latest innovative results on UHTCMCs presented at the second Sino-German symposium, held in Xi´an, China, from April 14 to April 20, 2018. A number of 28 peer reviewed papers have been selected, including 1 related to high entropy ceramics, 2 devoted to ceramic fibers, 4 contributing to computational simulation, and 6 focused on UHTCs, 8 on UHTCMCs, and 6 on multifunctional CMCs.

As the scientific focus, the symposium highlighted the latest basic science and development in the field of “Design Foundation of Oxidation Resistant Ultra-high Temperature Ceramic Matrix Composites Aimed for Structural Applications”. The conference was hosted by The Sino-German Center for Research Promotion (SGC), organized by the Chinese Society for Composite Materials, CMC branch at the Northwestern Polytechnical University and Xi’an Golden Mountain Ceramic Composites Co., Ltd. in conjunction with the Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany. The meeting was funded by the SGC in Beijing, China and the Northwestern Polytechnical University in Xi’an, China. Besides speakers from China and Germany, the technical program was complemented by internationally renowned experts in the field from France, UK, Slovak Republic, Sweden and South Korea.