Study on the behavior in thermal shock and ablation resistance of TiC-TiB₂/Cu ceramic-matrix composite

The TiC-TiB₂/xCu ceramic-matrix composites were produced by self-propagating high-temperature combustion synthesis combined with pseudo hot isostatic pressing (SHS/PHIP). The microstructure and the components of the synthesized compacts were analyzed. To investigate their behaviors of ablation resistance, the TiC-TiB₂/xCu cermets were heated with plasma torch. The results showed that along with the increase of the Cu content, the thermal shock resistance of the TiC-TiB₂/xCu was enhanced, but the ablation resistance descended. The loss mass of the cermet after ablation for 20 seconds was 1.7 g and the mass loss ratio was 0.ll g/s. The ablation resistance was obtained due to the combined action of both the high strength cermet with the durability to erosion and high temperature and the metal binder Cu of performing decalescence and volatilization at high temperature.