Comparison of ablative and compressive mechanical behavior of several PICA-like ablative materials

It is significant to compare the ablative and compressive mechanical behavior of different PICA-like materials in the engineering applications. The plasma wind tunnel ablation tests with high-entropy air and CO₂ atmospheres, and compressive experiments in the ambient and 150°C, were conducted for three kinds of PICA-like materials (CF/PR-Si, CBCF/PR-SiOC and NQF/PR-Si composites). The traditional carbon/phenolic (C/PR) braided composites were also used for comparison. PICA-like materials have the better thermal insulation than traditional C/PR composite, especially for CBCF/PR-SiOC composite. The ablation behavior of CF/PR-Si and CBCF/PR-SiOC PICA-like materials in the CO₂ atmosphere can produce a large amount of SiO₂ in the form of coatings, oxide layers and skeletons on the ablated surface, which are greatly different from that in the air atmosphere. The compressive behavior of PICA-like material is greatly depended on the fiber fabrics, and exhibits the large discrete characteristics. The longer fiber in the PICA-like materials plays the role in maintaining the material integrity, while it may increase the thermal conductivity.