Playez, M., Fletcher, D. G., Marschall, J., Fahrenholtz, W. G., Hilmas, G. E., & Zhu, S. (2009). Optical emission spectroscopy during plasmatron testing of ZrB2-SiC ultrahigh-temperature ceramic composites. Journal of thermophysics and heat transfer, 23(2), 279-285.
Abstract
Optical emission spectroscopy is used to investigate the oxidation of a hot-pressed ZrB2-SiC ultrahigh-temperature ceramic composite tested in the 1.2MW Plastron facility at the von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics. Time-resolved spectra enable the in situ detection and temporal characterization of electronically excited B, BO, and BO2 species concentrations directly adjacent to the oxidizing sample surface. The evolution of these boron species correlates well with the transient formation of a complex multilayer oxide scale containing a silica-rich glassy outer layer that limits oxide growth.