Erosion of hot-pressed zirconium diboride-based ceramics induced by submillisecond laser pulses

The erosion of zirconium diboride-based ceramics under single and multiple thermal shocks induced by submillisecond laser radiation was studied. Experimental samples included zirconium diboride (ZrB 2 ) and zirconium diboride with 20 vol.% and 30 vol.% silicon carbide (SiC) additives, all produced by hot pressing under identical conditions. The lower erosion threshold parameters for single-pulse heating were experimentally determined. Erosion of the ZrB 2 ceramics was initiated at a temperature of approximately 760 ± 50 K, achieved at a heat flux factor of about 7.2 ± 0.5 MJ ⋅ m − 1 ⋅ s − 0.5 . The addition of 20 vol.% and 30 vol.% SiC increases the erosion threshold temperatures to 800 ± 50 K and 910 ± 50 K, respectively, and the heat flux factors to 10.2 ± 0.7 MJ ⋅ m − 1 ⋅ s − 0.5 and 11.6 ± 0.8 MJ ⋅ m − 1 ⋅ s − 0.5 , respectively. Additionally, the behavior of the samples under multiple pulsed heating to temperatures exceeding the lower erosion threshold was investigated. The ZrB 2 sample could not withstand pulsed heating to temperatures above 1500 K without catastrophic failure. In contrast, the ZrB 2 − SiC samples were tested under multiple pulsed heating up to the eutectic point ∼ 2500 − 2600 K and experienced partial melting on the surface. These findings highlight the potential of ZrB 2 -based ceramics as plasma-facing materials, particularly in terms of their resistance to pulsed heating.