Ablative Characteristics of Carbon/Carbon Composites by Liquid Rocket

The Carbon/Carbon composite was prepared from 3D carbon fiber preform and coal tar pitch as matrix precursor. In order to evaluate of ablative characteristics of the composite, liquid rocket system was employed Kerosene and liquid oxygen was used as propellants, operating at a nominal chamber pressure of 330 psi and a nominal mixture ratio (O/F) of 2.0. The results of an experimental evaluation were that high density composite exhibited high, while low density composites showed low erosion resistance. The erosion rate against heat flux was highly depended on the density of the materials. The morphology of eroded fiber showed differently according to collision angle with heat flux on the composite. The granular matrix which derived from carbonization pressure of 900 bar was more resistance to heat flux than well-developed flow type matrix.