Synthesis and characterization of light-weight porous ceramics used in the transpiration cooling

Light-weight carbon fiber-reinforced silicon carbide (C/SiC) porous ceramics have been fabricated by optimized grinding-mould pressing-sintering process, and the properties of the porous ceramics have been discussed systematically. The results demonstrate that fabricated porous ceramics used in the transpiration cooling exhibit low densities (1.327–1.377 g/cm3), uniform pore-size distribution and excellent permeabilities (5.713–5.903 × 10−8 mm2). Furthermore, the validity and reliability of the porous ceramics applied as coolant medium in the transpiration cooling system are successfully verified by using the oxyacetylene flame test. This work provides an efficient method to prepare light-weight C/SiC porous ceramics with excellent permeability, which has a useful reference for optimization of the transpiration cooling of the hypersonic vehicles.