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In this study, short carbon fibre (C sf) reinforced ZrB 2 -SiC composites were fabricated via direct ink writing followed by precursor infiltration and pyrolysis. The ablation behaviour of the composites was investigated at heat fluxes of 4–6 MW/m2 under an air plasma flame, which revealed excellent ablation resistance with negative linear ablation rates of − 0.1 to − 0.5 µm/s. The results showed that ZrO 2 -SiO 2 oxide layer was formed on the ablation surface after ablation, which provided effective protection to the internal materials. With an increase in heat flux, ZrO 2 precipitated from the SiO 2 melt first in the form of nano-tetragonal ZrO 2 (t -ZrO 2), owing to the vaporisation of SiO 2. During cooling, the nano t -ZrO 2 particles were retained, and some of them reacted with SiO 2 to form ZrSiO 4 , thus improving the thermal stability of the SiO 2 -ZrO 2 oxide layer. In contrast, t -ZrO 2 agglomerated and grew owing to capillary force and finally transformed into monoclinic ZrO 2 (m -ZrO 2). Moreover, a higher heat flux led to the size of precipitation ZrO 2 increases, meanwhile increasing the content of t -ZrO 2 and ZrSiO 4 in the oxide layer. • Short carbon fibers reinforced C sf /ZrB 2 -SiC composites were fabricated by direct ink writing, followed by precursor impregnation and pyrolysis. • During cooling, the nano t -ZrO 2 particles were retained, and some of them reacted with SiO 2 to form ZrSiO 4 , thus improving the thermal stability of the SiO 2 -ZrO 2 oxide layer. • The capillary force leads to the nano crystals gradually agglomerate and form dendritic structure. • From 4 to 6 MW/m2, the size of the dendritic structure ZrO 2 increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pitch-based short carbon fibres reinforced C sf /ZrB 2 -SiC composites were fabricated by direct ink writing of short carbon fibres, followed by slurry impregnation and reactive melt infiltration. Ablation behaviour of the C sf /ZrB 2 -SiC composite was studied by air plasma test. It is indicated that the skeleton of the oriented short carbon fibres provides heat diffusion channels. Consequently, temperatures at the ablation surface are as low as ∼1730 oC and ∼2000 oC respectively at 4 MW/m2 and 5 MW/m2. The composite presents outstanding ablation-resistant performance with a linear recession rate of ∼ − 0.04 µm/s and mass recession rate of ∼ − 3.40 mg/s at 4 MW/m2, ∼ − 0.17 µm/s and ∼ 3.58 mg/s at 5 MW/m2. It is revealed that the fibres area and matrix area of the composite present different ablation mechanisms. The fibres area is ablated severely, while the matrix area presents excellent ablation-resistance with continuous ZrO 2 -SiO 2 protective layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]