According to imperial college London, the British imperial college London researchers of advanced structural ceramics
center is carrying out structural ceramics in some of the world’s leading in the field of research, including the material can
be used in aerospace industry. Structural ceramics can withstand 3 times the lava temperature of high temperature, which
makes it can be used in hypersonic aircraft.
Hypersonic aircraft is one of the challenges of hypersonic aerocraft, it is able to withstandextreme temperature over 2000
℃ protective material, in order to protect the craft from the high temperature erosion. Ultra high temperature ceramics
(UHTCs) melting point is more than 3000 ℃, is an ideal candidate material in high temperature area of hypersonic
aircraft.
The researchers found that in the ultra high temperature ceramic hafnium carbide can bear the high temperature of 4050
℃, rather than 3950 ℃ previously reported. This finding represents a major milestone, it created the conditions for
application of ultra high temperature ceramics in hypersonic vehicle is most in need of protection in extreme heat wing
leading edge and the nose area. Researchers of ultra high temperature ceramics carried out many different laboratory test,
to determine their suitability for aerospace manufacturers. For example, in order to test the applicability of the ultra high
temperature ceramics as a kind of synthetic material, researchers will mix hafnium carbide and tantalum carbide, using
high power laser technology to test mixed materials, to determine how they bear harsh conditions. Next, the researchers
will study hafnium carbide and other ultra high temperature ceramics at high temperatures and the chemical reaction with
oxygen in the atmosphere, because it can cause the degradation of materials. They are exploring the feasibility of different
coating and additives to prevent damage to materials.
These studies re-aroused the interest in ultra high temperature ceramics for scientific research, the research is to hope that
hafnium carbide can be used as a protection of hypersonic flight vehicle material, to avoid the the damage caused
by aircraft surface friction with the air.
