LCA‐based evaluation of greenhouse gas reduction potentials of carbon/carbon wheel brakes for medium‐haul aircraft

Abstract Air transport is expected to substantially grow in the next decades, presenting a significant challenge for the aviation industry to reconcile this growth with the need to mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A viable strategy for diminishing aviation emissions involves reducing aircraft fuel consumption, which can inter alia be achieved by incorporating lightweight ceramic matrix composites (CMC) into aircraft components. However, this is offset by an energy‐intensive production of CMC, and there remains limited understanding of the environmental impacts associated with this group of materials. This study aims to assess the potential of carbon/carbon (C/C) wheel brakes to reduce large passenger aircraft emissions. Employing a cradle‐to‐grave approach, a life cycle assessment based on ISO standards was conducted. The findings indicate that, although the production of a C/C wheel brake incurs a markedly greater carbon footprint than its metallic counterpart, the lightweight and durability aspect of C/C significantly contribute to decreased GHG emissions over the entire service life of an aircraft across all evaluated scenarios. Furthermore, the results emphasize the importance of component durability and improved manufacturing process control in enhancing emission savings, ultimately guiding stakeholders toward informed decisions regarding the use of CMC for sustainable aircraft design.