Ir Protective Coatings for Carbon Structural Materials

Ir coatings were deposited on the heat-treated C/C composites and graphite by double glow plasma. Microstructure and morphology of the coating and substrate were observed by SEM and TEM. The effect of the surface treatment for the carbon structural materials on the microstructure of the coating was investigated. Many large gaps and pores appeared on the surface of the substrates after heat treatment. The Ir coating did not fully covered on the surface of heat-treated C/C composite and graphite substrates because of the large gaps and pores on the surface of substrates. The Ir coating exhibited excellent ablation resistance at super-high temperature. After super-high temperature ablation, the coating kept the integrity, but the coating was weekly bonded to the substrates. Some microcracks and micropores appeared on the surface of as-ablated coating. The Ir coating would need thick enough to cover and fill the large microgaps and micropores on the surface of the heat-treated C/C and graphite substrates.