Ablation behavior of sharp leading-edge C/C-ZrC-SiC composites using 3000 °C oxyacetylene torch

Abstract

The sharp leading-edge C/C-ZrC-SiC composites with different curvature radii were obtained by reactive melt infiltration, and their ablation behaviors were investigated using an oxyacetylene torch at a heat flux of 2.4 MW/m2 for 60 s. As the radius increased from 1 to 2 mm, the linear change rates decreased from 2.82 to − 3.67 µm/s. Samples with smaller radius tended to suffer from more severe ablation under higher temperatures, thermal stress, strong gas erosion and the decrease of oxide layer stability are responsible for the ablation degradation of the composites.