Structural optimization and air-plasma ablation behaviors of C/C-SiC-(ZrxHf1−x)C composites prepared by reactive melt infiltration method

The porous C/C skeleton was optimized by introducing double-carbon matrix and applied to prepare C/C-SiC-(ZrxHf1−x)C composites by the reactive melt infiltration method. The microstructure and ablation behaviors of the C/C-SiC-(ZrxHf1−x)C composites were investigated. Results show that the double-carbon matrix design effectively refined the pore structure and promoted the generation of ceramics carbide phases. The C/C-SiC-(ZrxHf1−x)C composites exhibited favorable ablation performance in 1700–2200 ℃ and the mass ablation rates decreased by 50%, 58% and 68% compared to those prepared by PyC-filled C/C. The component differences led to various surface thermal response temperatures, which resulted in different ablation behaviors of C/C-SiC-(ZrxHf1−x)C composites.