1. Bhor Chemicals – indigenous radome materials for stealth aircraft and UAVs
Bhor Chemicals & Plastics Pvt. Ltd. has achieved a landmark feat in strategic materials by developing indigenously manufactured radome composites for Indian fighter aircraft, drones, and stealth platforms. Using a proprietary combination of quartz fibres and toughened cyanate ester resin systems, the innovation delivers unparalleled electromagnetic (EM) transparency, high thermal stability and structural resilience.
The innovation specifically stresses on THREE materials manufactured by Bhor; BhorPreg CEA0020, BhorPreg CEA 0026 and BhorBond CE1545. A comparative property chart of performance can be seen in exhibit 1 below:
| Property | BhorPreg CEA0020 | BhorPreg CEA0026 | BhorBond CE1545 |
| Specific Gravity | 1.15 g/cc | – | 1.21 g/cc |
| Tg (°C) | 260 to 300 | 260 to 300 | 180 to 190 |
| Dielectric Constant | 2.7 to 2.9 @10GHz | 3.3 to 3.4 @12GHz | 2.84 @12GHz |
| Loss Tangent | 0.0004 @10GHz | 0.010 @12GHz | 0.0088 @12GHz |
| Moisture Absorption | 1% @ Saturation | – | < 0.85% |
Exhibit 1: Bhor materials for Radome application
Both BhorPreg are prepregs, suitable for high temperature Radomes, with glass transition temperature (Tg) depending on the post cure temperature, and can be upto 300°C. However, both have fairly low dielectric constant and loss tangent. These makes them an ideal material for X/Ku band seekers (8 to 18 GHz). These electromagnetic properties also make composites a preferred material over ceramic radomes, for high precision seekers.
The technology director at Bhor explains that what sets the Radome for stealth apart is the creation of Frequency Selective Surfaces (FSS)—a sophisticated design feature that allows specific radar frequencies to pass while attenuating others, critical for stealth operations. These materials, previously sourced under tight export controls, are now made in India. With in-house capabilities including quartz fabric weaving, prepreg manufacturing, RTM resin systems, and autoclave curing, Bhor’s materials specifically focuses to meet the demanding needs of the LCA Tejas, AMCA and Ghatak UAV programs.
Figure 1: 3D woven socks of Quartz fabric
The figure 1 shows the photographs of 3D Woven Socks of Quartz Fabric. This innovation positions India among a select group of nations capable of developing advanced, low-RCS composite radomes, thereby reducing strategic dependencies and boosting indigenous defence manufacturing under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
2. Dolf Industries – paving the way with recycled FRP waste
While thermoset FRP has revolutionised industries from chemicals to transport, its non-recyclable nature has long posed an ecological dilemma. Dolf Industries Pvt. Ltd. has turned this challenge into an opportunity with an innovative recycling process that converts FRP waste into structural paver blocks—marking a potential paradigm shift in construction materials.
After six years of iterative R&D, Dolf developed a process that integrates ground FRP scrap into high-strength, fire-resistant paving units. These blocks not only match conventional alternatives in mechanical performance, but also outperform them in inflammability and durability. With India’s paver block market estimated at ₹40,000 crore, and the total paving segment over ₹3 lakh crore, the commercial potential is immense.
Beyond numbers, the innovation addresses an urgent environmental need—disposing of mountains of FRP waste that currently sit in industrial backyards, often burned or buried. Dolf’s model promotes a net-zero manufacturing approach, enabling a closed-loop lifecycle for composites. This solution has the potential to become a national standard for FRP waste reuse, making sustainability tangible in heavy industries.
Figure 2: Recycled FRP paver blocks
3. Tata AutoComp – multifunctional composites for future automotive platforms
Tata AutoComp received the award for its pioneering work in developing a cost-effective, lightweight Sheet Moulding Compound (SMC) technology. This innovation leverages functionalised nanomaterials and recycled industrial waste to create composite materials that are both economical and sustainable, addressing key challenges in the automotive sector. The proprietary formulation enables the production of SMC components that maintain mechanical performance on par with conventional materials while delivering substantial weight reduction.
What sets this technology apart is its ability to replace traditional SMCs without compromising structural integrity or processing speed, thus making it viable for high-volume mass production in the automotive industry. The use of industrial by-products and localised raw materials significantly reduces reliance on imported inputs, promoting material self-reliance in India’s manufacturing ecosystem. Furthermore, the embedded nanomaterials enhance the functional properties of the composite, improving characteristics such as strength-to-weight ratio, surface finish and thermal stability.
This breakthrough holds promise not only for lightweight vehicle design but also for broader adoption of sustainable composites in structural and semi-structural parts. Tata AutoComp’s solution exemplifies the synergy between innovation, circular economy principles and industrial scalability, making it a benchmark for future-ready materials in green mobility. The award is a testament to the company’s commitment to environmental responsibility and technological advancement in India’s automotive supply chain.
4. NIT Rourkela – AI-driven optimisation of composite gate design
From the academic front, NIT Rourkela made waves with a cutting-edge simulation platform that optimises mould gate location and port number for injection-moulded composite components. Developed through extensive parametric and AI-based modeling, this innovation significantly reduces material defects, flow inconsistencies and cycle time during manufacturing.
Figure 3: Experimental set-up to validate the software outcome
This solution is highly relevant to industries where component geometry is complex and tolerances are tight—like automotive interiors, electrical enclosures and consumer goods. The model predicts ideal gate configurations using both traditional simulation and data-driven insights, leading to enhanced dimensional accuracy and reduced rejection rates.
The approach exemplifies how machine learning can be integrated into traditional composites processing, bridging the gap between manual trial-and-error methods and intelligent automation. By lowering manufacturing overheads and increasing repeatability, this solution aligns perfectly with Industry 4.0 goals in the composites domain.
To validate their software, researchers developed an experimental setup (Figure 3) and analysed two cases: a glass fibre bonnet and a carbon fibre wing flap. Optimisation was performed using NSDE and MOSO algorithms. Both aimed to reduce dry spot content and mould-filling time through optimised gate-vent configurations. MOSO consistently outperformed NSDE, achieving lower dry spot content, reduced ports and faster computations, while also enabling tri-objective optimisation compared to NSDE’s dual-objective approach.
| Case | Algorithm | Dry Spot (%) | Fill Time | Gate/Vent Config. |
| Bonnet | NSDE | 0.35 | 35 min | 2 gates / 4 vents |
| MOSO | 0.295 | 25 min | 2 gates / 3 vents | |
| Wing Flap | NSDE | 0.617 | 100 sec | 1 gate / 4 vents |
| MOSO | 0.45 | 100 sec | 2 gates / 2 vents |
Exhibit 2: Comparison of NSDE vs. MOSO optimisation results
The awards that empower a nation’s materials future
The ICERP–JEC Innovation Awards have proven to be a beacon of possibility in India’s composites landscape. They not only recognise technical brilliance but also accelerate market entry, funding visibility and international partnerships for Indian innovators. This year’s winners span sectors from aerospace and defence to sustainable infrastructure and manufacturing digitization—proving that India is not just catching up, but setting benchmarks in the global composites industry.
As the momentum continues to build, the awards remain an essential platform to champion Indian materials science on the world stage.
Figure 4: ICERP-JEC Innovation Awards
photo: ICERP-JEC Innovation Awards
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