Corrosion Science | 2019
Microstructure and ablation behaviour of a carbon/carbon-ZrC-Cu composite prepared by adding Ti to Zr/Cu powder mixture
Abstract
Abstract A carbon/carbon-ZrC-Cu composite was prepared using reactive melt infiltration by adding Ti to Zr/Cu powder mixture. Microstructure characterisation revealed that the in-situ formed TiC was aggregated with ZrC and Cu, forming dispersed round regions in infiltration matrix and mixed annular layers around carbon fibre bundles. After ablation, the linear recession rate decreased despite the mass loss rate increasing with ablation time increasing from 10 s to 20 s. The sealing effect of TiO2 played an important role in retaining the oxidation product ZrO2 and molten Cu, delaying the loss of protective oxide layers and preventing the matrix from further ablation.