Xenia Materials has signed a collaboration agreement with the Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials of Italy’s National Research Council (IPCB-CNR) to develop a new generation of smart composite materials for high-performance applications. Announced on 19 October 2026, the partnership is designed to strengthen the link between scientific research and industrial implementation.
The programme will focus primarily on materials engineered for injection moulding, while also targeting advanced manufacturing platforms including pellet- and filament-based 3D printing. The aim is to combine high mechanical performance with additional functionalities integrated directly into the material.
Functions under development include self-healing behaviour, energy absorption, EMI shielding and electrical conductivity. These properties will be explored through composite architectures reinforced with carbon fibres, nanofillers and graphene, with the objective of improving both mechanical performance and design flexibility.
Target applications include aerospace, defence and energy, where lightweighting, structural performance and integrated functionality are increasingly important.
The collaboration combines IPCB-CNR’s scientific expertise with more than 30 years of Xenia Materials’ industrial experience in reinforced thermoplastic composites. The research institute will contribute its multidisciplinary capabilities, while Xenia will provide expertise in material formulation, processing and industrialisation.
The longer-term objective is to accelerate the transfer of new formulations from laboratory research into manufacturing, creating multifunctional composites designed from the outset for advanced industrial applications.
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22 October 2026
