Tailoring Ablation-Resistant ZrCN composites with strategically designed chopped carbon fibers

Key Points

• This research aims to develop ZrCN composites with improved ablation and thermal shock resistance by modifying carbon fiber architecture.
• Fabricated ZrCN composites with varying carbon fiber lengths and volumes.
• Conducted experiments to measure ablation rates at temperatures up to 3000 ℃.
• Utilized simulations to analyze the formation of a Zr–C–N–O cluster network at high temperatures.
• ZCN0530 demonstrated a linear ablation rate of −0.73 µm/s and a mass ablation rate of −0.41 mg/s at 3000 ℃.
• The in-situ formed cluster network enhances oxide viscosity, significantly improving thermal resistance.
• The architectural design of carbon fibers contributes to the formation of a dense diffusion barrier, further increasing ablation resistance.