Ultra-high-temperature ablation behavior of SiC–ZrC–TiC modified carbon/carbon composites fabricated via reactive melt infiltration

• Published in: Journal of the European Ceramic Society 2020-03, Vol.40 (3), p.651-659
• Main Authors: Zeng, Yi, Wang, Dini, Xiong, Xiang, Gao, Sen, Chen, Zhaoke, Sun, Wei, Wang, Yalei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbides; Composites; Corrosion; Oxides
• ISSN: 0955-2219; 1873-619X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2019.10.027

To improve the ablation resistance under the ultra-high temperature, the matrix of the carbon/carbon (C/C) composite was modified with a ternary ceramic of SiC–ZrC–TiC via reactive melt infiltration. The obtained ceramic matrix was composed of Zr-rich and Ti-rich solid solution phases of Zr1−xTixC and SiC. This composite exhibited an excellent ablation property at 2500 °C with low mass and linear ablation rates of 0.008 mg s−1 cm−2 and 0.000 μm s−1, respectively. The ablation mechanism was revealed with various microstructure characterizations and compared with those of C/C–SiC and C/C–TiC composites. Results showed that the degradations of these composites were primarily caused by the loss of the protective oxide scale via volatilization under the ultra-high temperature and flushing by high-speed airflow. The high ablation resistance of the C/C–SiC–ZrC–TiC composite was attributed to the protection of a multiphase oxide scale with high viscosity and low volatility.