NIT Rourkela develops lightweight nanocomposite for aviation systems

New aluminium-based hybrid nanocomposite could improve durability of aircraft landing gear, cut maintenance costs, and enhance fuel efficiency across aviation and defence applications

In a significant innovation, a research team from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela, has developed a novel lightweight nanocomposite material that could significantly enhance the durability and performance of aircraft landing gear, one of the most critical and stress-prone components in aviation systems.

 

Aircraft landing gear components undergo extreme mechanical stress during landing, braking, and taxiing, where repeated contact with runways leads to gradual wear and tear. Traditionally, landing gear components are manufactured using aluminium and its alloys to absorb the weight of the aircraft and endure contact with the runway.

 

While these materials help reduce the aircraft's overall mass, an important factor for fuel efficiency, their ability to withstand prolonged high-stress conditions remains limited, leading to maintenance challenges and higher lifecycle costs.

   

The NIT Rourkela team, led by Prof Syed Nasimul Alam of the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, seems to have addressed this critical gap by developing the novel material. The research team comprises Arka Ghosh, Ashutosh Das, Pankaj Shrivastava, Nityananda Sahoo, and Parth Patel from NIT, and Velaphi Msomi from the University of South Africa.

 

The researchers have engineered an advanced aluminium-based hybrid nanocomposite material, which can be used for aircraft landing gear, defence aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Their research findings have been published in the reputed peer-reviewed journal Materials Letters.

 

Nanocomposites are a mixture of materials at the nanoscale level and are more than 100,000 times thinner than a human hair. The researchers strengthened aluminium by incorporating carbon nanotubes, which significantly improve compressive strength and load-bearing capacity. To further enhance performance, graphite nanoplatelets were added, while hexagonal boron nitride was introduced to ensure thermal stability under high operating temperatures.

Illustration of the nanocomposite production process 

“We used carbon nanotubes for better compressive strength and load-bearing capacity. The addition of graphite nanoplatelets further improved the nanocomposite. One of the key challenges in developing such materials was achieving uniform dispersion of nanoparticles within the metal matrix. We addressed it by using high-frequency sound waves, a process that prevents particle clustering and ensures even distribution,” said Prof Alam.

 

The composite was then subjected to high-pressure compaction, followed by heating and compression in an oxygen-free environment using advanced sintering techniques. This resulted in a dense, strongly bonded material with a three-dimensional reinforcing network.

 

“The hybrid nanocomposite produced through spark plasma sintering exhibits uniform dispersion of nanofillers within the aluminium matrix, leading to exceptional wear resistance. The material also forms a thin protective surface layer during operation, which further reduces degradation caused by friction and repeated stress cycles,” said Prof Alam.

 

According to the researchers, the implications of the new material for the aviation industry are substantial. Landing gear made from this nanocomposite could offer significantly improved durability, reducing the frequency of maintenance and replacement. This, in turn, would lower operational costs for airlines and defence operators while enhancing safety and reliability. The lightweight nature of the material also contributes to improved fuel efficiency, a key priority in an industry striving to reduce emissions and operating expenses.

 

Compared with currently used materials such as ultra-high-strength steels, titanium alloys, and high-strength aluminium alloys, the newly developed nanocomposite is estimated to be 40–60 per cent more cost-effective. This combination of lower cost, reduced weight, and higher wear resistance positions it as a promising alternative for next-generation aerospace components, they said.

 

The material will also be suitable for defence aircraft and UAVs, where performance, endurance, and reliability are critical under demanding conditions. The nanocomposite could improve the operational lifespan of landing systems and contribute to safer missions by enhancing load transfer and structural stability. 

The research team has already secured a patent related to the powder-mixing process used in developing nanocomposites and is in the process of filing another patent for the new technology. As a next step, efforts are underway to scale up the innovation by manufacturing larger components using the powder metallurgy route, a move that could pave the way for industrial adoption.