Method of producing a nozzle or a divergent nozzle element made of a composite

A method of making a thin-walled nozzle or nozzle divergent section out of composite material comprising fiber reinforcement densified by a matrix, the method comprising:

• obtaining panels of a fiber texture obtained by three-dimensional weaving;
• forming a fiber preform by conforming the panels on a former having a surface that reproduces the shape desired for an inner or outer surface of the nozzle or the nozzle divergent section that is to be made, the fiber preform being formed over at least a major fraction of its axial dimension by a single layer of said panels connected together via mutually contacting edges;
• forming consolidated fiber reinforcement by shaping the fiber preform impregnated with a consolidation composition comprising a resin, shaping being performed between the former and a jacket applied against the impregnated fiber preform so as to obtain consolidated fiber reinforcement having a fiber volume percentage of at least 35%, and having over said major fraction of its axial dimension a thickness of no more than 5 mm;
• and
• continuing densification of the consolidated fiber reinforcement by chemical vapor infiltration after pyrolyzing the resin so that after densification a part is obtained that has practically the shape and the wall thickness of the nozzle or nozzle divergent section that is to be made.