Effect of SiC nanowires on ablation property of Cu-doped C/C-ZrC composites

In-situ SiC nanowires were prepared by sol-gel method, followed by the fabrication of C/C-ZrC composites using low-temperature reaction melt infiltration using Zr-Cu alloy. Thermal physical test results verify that the growth of in-situ SiC nanowires can improve thermal conductivity and minimize interlayer thermal expansion of composites. Addition of SiC nanowires can effectively reduce surface temperature and ablation rates. Thermodynamic calculations revealed the ablative process in the Zr, Si and Cu ternary system, yielding SiO2 and ZrO2 as oxidation products. The presence of Si promotes the formation of ZrO2 oxide layer, while Cu evaporates directly in center region.