Effect of Ablation Surface Microstructure on Plasma Arc Ablation Properties of C/C Throat Insert Fabricated via CVI+HPIC Methods

doi:10.15541/jim20190361

Abstract

Abstract:

The C/C composite was prepared by chemical vaper infiltration (CVI) followed by pitch impregnation and high pressure carbonization (HPIC) using needled non-woven carbon fiber felt preform. The microstructure of composites was characterized by micro-computed tomography (μ-CT) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The ablation resistance at different cross sections was evaluated using plasma ablation test. Typical cross sections of the experiment were X-Y section (0°, perpendicular to needing direction), Z section (90°, parallel to needing direction) and cross sections (23°, 45°, 68°) of composites, respectively. The results presented that the porosity of the C/C composites was as low as 4%, and 98% of the internal pores was smaller than 20 μm. The ablation resistance at different cross sections improved first and then decreased from X-Y section (0°) to Z section (90°). The cross section at 68° showed the best ablation resistance, at which the mass and linear ablation rates were 0.050 g/s and 0.056 mm/s, respectively. The best ablation resistance is attributed to the icicle-like ablation mode of carbon fiber, which indicates that fiber arrangement at the cross section has significant impact on ablation resistance of C/C composites.

Key words: needled carbon fiber preform, C/C composites, ablation rate, microstructure

CLC Number:

TB332

WU Xiaojun,YANG Jie,ZHENG Rui,ZHANG Zhaofu,YANG Yi. Effect of Ablation Surface Microstructure on Plasma Arc Ablation Properties of C/C Throat Insert Fabricated via CVI+HPIC Methods[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2020, 35(6): 654-660.

Figures/Tables 8

Fig. 1 Schematic illustration for the preparation of ablation specimen of C/C composite

Fig. 2 Densification mechanism and the typical microstructures of C/C composites produced via CVI combined with HPIC

Fig. 3 Micro-CT 3D images of the C/C composites (a) interior structure and (b) pore distribution

Fig. 4 Ablation rate at different cross sections of the C/C composites

Fig. 5 SEM images of ablation surface of C/C composites (a) 0° section; (b) 23° section; (c) 45° section; (d) 68° section; (e) 90° section

Fig. 6 Linear ablation rate of 0° and 90° sections as a function of ablation time

Fig. 7 SEM images of X-Y section after ablation with different time

Fig. 8 SEM images of Z section after ablation with different time

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