NANONOXCERA is a project funded by the Directorate General for Armaments (DGA) and in partnership with the Directorate General for Enterprises (DGE), it aims to develop more efficient and lighter ballistic protection products based on boron carbide.

Objectives: to develop an industrial process for manufacturing ceramic armour in boron carbide (B4C) using submicron or nanometric powders and SPS sintering technology. This project also aims to found a complete French industrial chain (from synthesis of the powder to the ceramic object) using, for the first time, SPS technology.

Innovations: large-scale manufacture of ultra B4C, control of the boron carbide microstructure to reinforce its properties, B4C SPS sintering of large parts, and ultimately achieving high performance ceramic armour (high ratio for ballistic performance / weight).

Military or civilian applications: high-end individual ballistic protection for military and civilian sectors, enhanced protection of aircraft by using a light material, extension to the field of neutron barriers for the nuclear industry.