One-step preparation of TaIr^sub 3^-based material and its ablation performance under extreme environmental conditions

The solid-state interaction of TaC with Ir within the 1000–1600 °C temperature range leads to the formation of TaIr3 intermetallics. The durability of the TaIr3-based system with a silicon additive was studied under extreme environmental conditions. The TaIr3-based material displays satisfactory ablation resistance at 2000 °C in air in arc-jet. The post-test microstructural and XRD analysis of the developed material allowed us to propose the role of different constituents of the Ta – C – Ir – Si system. The iridium-containing phases play the most significant role in favorable ablation behavior of the developed system.