Ablation behavior of a C/C-ZrC-SiC composite based on high-solid-loading slurry impregnation under oxyacetylene torch

A C/C-ZrC-SiC composite was successfully prepared by high-solid-loading slurry impregnation combined with polymer infiltration and pyrolysis. The microstructure and ablation behavior of the C/C–ZrC–SiC composite were investigated. ZrC particles were uniformly distributed in the matrix, and the obtained C/C–ZrC–SiC composite had a high density of 2.74 g/cm 3 . After exposure to oxyacetylene flame with a heat flux of 3.86 MW/m 2 for 120 s, the mass and linear ablation rates of the composite were 0.72 ± 0.11 mg/s and 0.52 ± 0.09 µm/s, respectively. The excellent ablation properties of the composite were attributed to the protection of the matrix by a three-layered oxide scale consisting of ZrO 2 /SiO 2 -rich/ZrO 2 -SiO 2 .