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Ultra-high temperature ceramics developments for hypersonic applications

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Abstract

Ultra-High Temperature Ceramics are good candidates to fulfil the harsh requirements of hypersonic applications. For more than a decade, the Materials and Structures Department (DMAS) of ONERA has been actively involved in several programmes to develop such materials for different applications (hypersonic flights, propulsion systems...). In our laboratories, monolithic and composite materials have been investigated as well as several processing methods. In this paper, we present for example the ZrB2-SiC and HfB2-SiC compositions with TaSi2 or Y2O3 additions which have been especially studied in the European Projects ATLLAS and ATLLAS II. Assessments of several prototypes in realistic environment are also described. Furthermore, based on these material developments, a specific study on the oxidation behaviour of such monoliths from 1200 °C to 2400 °C with a dedicated test bench using a 2 kW CO2 laser has been carried out (oxidation under air and water vapour atmospheres). Recently, some work on the manufacturing of Ultra-High Temperature Ceramic Matrix Composites has been initiated using slurry infiltration and pyrolysis. The behaviour and properties of these materials are encouraging.

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Abbreviations

ATLLAS:

Aerodynamic and thermal load interactions with lightweight advanced materials for high speed flight

ATLLAS II:

Aero-thermodynamic loads on lightweight advanced structures II

BLOX:

Laser oxidation analysis facility

C/C-SiC:

Carbon fibre reinforced silicon carbide composite

CMC:

Ceramic matrix composites

CTE:

Coefficient of thermal expansion (in 10–6 °C−1)

CVI:

Chemical vapour infiltration

DGA:

Directorate General of Armaments

DLR:

Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt

EDM:

Electrical discharge machining

EDS:

Energy dispersive spectroscopy

ESA-ESTEC:

European Space Agency - European Space Research and Technology Centre

FAST:

Field assisted sintering technology

HP:

Hot pressing

PCS:

Poly-carbo-silane (SiC precursor)

PIP:

Precursor infiltration and pyrolysis

PyC:

Pyrolytic carbon

RMI:

Reactive melt infiltration

SEM:

Scanning electron microscopy

SI:

Slurry infiltration

SIP:

Slurry infiltration and pyrolysis

SPS:

Spark plasma sintering

TT:

Thermal treatment

UHTCs:

Ultra-high temperature ceramics

UHTCMCs:

Ultra-high temperature ceramic matrix composites

WC:

Tungsten carbide

ρ:

Density (in g/cm3)

σf :

Bending flexural strength (in MPa)

εf :

Flexural strain (in %)

d50 :

Median particle size (in µm)

E:

Young’s modulus (in GPa)

Ef :

Flexural modulus (in GPa)

K1C :

Fracture toughness (in MPa.m1/2)

Hv :

Hardness (in GPa)

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Acknowledgements

A part of this work was carried out within two projects investigating high-speed transport: Aerodynamic and Thermal Load Interactions with Lightweight Advanced Materials for High Speed Flight and Aero-Thermodynamic Loads on Lightweight Advanced Structures II. These studies were coordinated by ESA-ESTEC (J. Steelant) and supported by the EU within the 6th and 7th Framework Programmes (Grant AST5-CT-2006-030729, ACP0-GA-2010-263913). Thank you to M. Kuhn (DLR) and M. Bouchez (MBDA) for their collaboration on the development and testing of the hybrid injector.

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  1. ONERA/DMAS, Université Paris-Saclay, 92322, Châtilllon, France

    Jean-François Justin, Aurélie Julian-Jankowiak, Vincent Guérineau, Virginie Mathivet & Antoine Debarre

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  1. Jean-François Justin
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  2. Aurélie Julian-Jankowiak
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Justin, JF., Julian-Jankowiak, A., Guérineau, V. et al. Ultra-high temperature ceramics developments for hypersonic applications. CEAS Aeronaut J 11, 651–664 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13272-020-00445-y

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