Comparative research on cyclic ablation behavior of C/C-ZrC-SiC and C/C-ZrC composites at temperatures above 2000 °C

The cyclic and single ablation behavior of C/C-ZrC-SiC and C/C-ZrC composites prepared by reactive melt infiltration were studied. The ablation resistance properties of cyclic ablation of 30 s × 4 and single ablation of 120 s was similar to that of 60 s × 4 and 240 s. The oxidation of the matrix and the peeling content of oxides are aggravated with the increased cyclic ablation numbers. Under the cyclic ablation mode, C/C-ZrC-SiC composites showed lower mass loss than C/C-ZrC composites. At the single ablation of 240 s, C/C-ZrC-SiC composites showed desirable ablation resistance owing to the formation of an effective heat/oxygen protection layer on the ablated surface.