Plasma ablation behavior of ZrC_p/W composites

The ablation behaviors of ZrC_p/W composites were measured using a plasma ablation equipment. The results indicate that the linear ablation rate increases with increasing of ZrC content and ablation time. The ablation delve and the melted layer with a thickness of 1 mm appeared in the ablated surface. The chemical reaction between the constituted phases was happened in the ablation process, and the new phases were formed. The main ablation mechanism of the composites is the melting ablation which dominated and the thermal chemical ablation which was accompanied.