Ceramics

Biography

Biography: Eugenio Zapata-Solvas

Abstract

Ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs) are promising candidates for hypersonic applications as a consequence of their high melting point, in excess of 3000ºC for ZrB2 and HfB2 UHTCs. The UHTCs community has traditionally focused on the development of more oxidation resistant UHTCs composites in the last decade as a consequence of poor oxidation resistance of monolithic UHTCs. However, hypersonic applications, such as in sharp nose cones (SNC) and sharp-leading edges (SLE), require a combination of high temperature capability and high temperature strength, whereas high thermal conductivity is particularly desirable due to greater thermal transport during exposure in high-temperature reactive environments, by conduction and radiation back to the environment. At last but not least, UHTCs components have to ensure the structural stability of the hypersonic vehicle and should be structurally stable under operating conditions. However, SiC-reinforced UHTCs are not structurally stable above 1800ºC in spite of being considered baseline UHTCs for hypersonic applications as a consequence of their high oxidation resistance compared to other UHTCs composites and concentrate more than 50% of the research articles on UHTCs. In addition, there is a lack of information about structural properties and deformation mechanisms active at high temperature of UHTCs. Therefore, there is a needing for the understanding of UHTCs structural properties to perform a new approach for the development of UHTCs for hypersonic applications, as it will be illustrated; Novel UHTCs components that maximize their structural stability and resistance in addition to its oxidation resistance.