Microstructure analysis of Cf/SiC–ZrC composites in both fabrication and plasma wind tunnel testing processes

Abstract Two kinds of C/SiC–ZrC composites were fabricated through different methods in this study. For composite S, ZrC was just incorporated through the impregnation of slurry containing ZrC particles. For the other composite S ⁎ , infiltration and pyrolysis of the ethanol dissolvable polyzirconoxanesal (PSZ) was performed and some more ZrC was synthesized via in-situ carbothermal reduction reaction between PSZ derived ZrO 2 and carbon. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was applied to characterize the distribution of ZrC, the morphology of composite fracture surface as well as the ablated surface of composite S ⁎ . Based on the SEM analysis results, the microstructure evolution as well as the ablation behavior of C/SiC–ZrC composites was discussed.