To improve the ablation resistance of ZrC coating on SiC-coated carbon/carbon composites above 2000 °C, SiC/TiC nanocomposites (SiC/TiC-NCs) powders derived from single-source precursor were incorporated into ZrC coating, denoted as ZrC-SiC/TiC-NCs, via supersonic atmospheric plasma spraying (SAPS). After SAPS, the incorporated SiC/TiC-NCs evolved into TiC/(SiC and ZrxTiyC) embedded in amorphous SiC. The ablation resistance of the ZrC-SiC/TiC-NCs coating was evaluated by oxyacetylene flames with a heat flux of 4.18 MW/m2. For comparison, the ZrC-SiC-NCs coating without Ti modification was seriously damaged due to rapid gas denudation. The good ablation resistance of ZrC-SiC/TiC-NCs coating is mainly attributed to the distinctive “capsule-like” multi-crystalline microstructure of SiC/TiC-NCs. During ablation, TiO2 and ZrxTiyO2, due to the oxidation of TiC and ZrxTiyC, contributed to the formation of Zr-Ti-Si-O glass with high viscosity and low evaporation pressure, improving the ablation resistance.

National Natural Science Foundation of China, Grant No. 52061135102. Innovation Talent Promotion Plan of Shaanxi Province for Science and Technology Innovation Team, Grant No. 2020TD-003. General Project (Youth) of Shaanxi Provincial Natural Science Basic Research Program, Grant No. 2020JQ-170). Young Talents for Science and Technology Association supported by Shaanxi Province, Grant No. 20200406. Fund of Key Laboratory of National Defense Science and Technology in Northwestern Polytechnical University, Grant No. 6142911190207