Effect of ceramic nano‐particles on the properties of a carbon‐phenolic ablator

Carbon‐phenolic ablators are very efficient heat shields for atmospheric reentry vehicles: they are able to protect a capsule from hyper thermal environments characterized by intense heat fluxes (>1 MW/m2) and very high temperature (also exceeding 300°C). Ablative materials can be modified by the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polymer composites 2022-10, Vol.43 (10), p.7345-7359
Main Authors: Paglia, Laura, Mapelli, Caterina, Genova, Virgilio, Bracciale, Maria Paola, Marra, Francesco, Bartuli, Cecilia, Fratoddi, Ilaria, Pulci, Giovanni
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ablative materials
Atmospheric entry
Carbon
carbon‐phenolic ablative materials
Composite materials
Fillers
FTIR analysis
Heat flux
Heat shields
High temperature
Material properties
Mechanical properties
Mechanical tests
nano‐composites
Oxyacetylene
Particulate composites
Phenolic resins
Reentry vehicles
Thermal environments
Weight reduction
Zirconium dioxide
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Summary:Carbon‐phenolic ablators are very efficient heat shields for atmospheric reentry vehicles: they are able to protect a capsule from hyper thermal environments characterized by intense heat fluxes (>1 MW/m2) and very high temperature (also exceeding 300°C). Ablative materials can be modified by the addition of nano‐fillers in order to improve their performance: small amounts of nano‐fillers (in the order of 2–5 wt%) are able to enhance the matrix material properties, guarantying a weight saving too. In this work, three different kinds of ceramic nano‐particles (ZrO2, SiC, and MgO) were tested as fillers for a phenolic resin and for a carbon‐phenolic ablator: the variation in the mechanical properties and ablative performances were verified through mechanical tests and oxyacetylene flame exposure. The influence of the nano‐particles in the composite materials properties and the phenomena connected to their presence in the ablative material were deeply investigated with scanning electron microscope, EDS, XRD, and FTIR analysis. Nano‐composite carbon/phenolic ablative materials are manufactured and the influence of addition of ceramic nano‐particles were studied. Standard and nano‐composite ablators samples were analyzed with SEM, FTIR, XRD, mechanical compression tests, oxyacetylene flame burner exposure. Samples of standard phenolic resin and nano‐composite phenolic resins were manufactured for further analysis on ceramic nano‐particles influence (bending test and TG analysis).
ISSN:0272-8397
1548-0569
DOI:10.1002/pc.26811