Evaluation of the Thermal Diffusivity of Carbon/Phenolic Composites (CPCs) through Oxy-Acetylene Torch (OAT) Test—Part 1: Experimental Characterization and Preliminary Validation

Abstract

Carbon/Phenolic Composites (CPCs) are essential to manufacture many portions of the nozzle assembly of Solid Rocket Motors (SRMs) which are essential both to preserve the independent access to space as well as for the homeland security. In our research, a feasible approach aimed at preliminary retrieving the in-plane and out-plane thermal diffusivity of CPCs through the Oxy-Acetylene Torch (OAT) tests was validated. The proposed approach showed to be effective and able to bypass some limitations of common protocols, especially in terms of capability to determine the thermal diffusivity of CPCs at high heating rates. A comprehensive work of comparison of the obtained data with state-of-the-art CPCs such as MX-4926 and FM-5014 has also been carried out, evidencing the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Keywords

• thermal protection system (TPS)
• solid rocket motors (SRMs)
• carbon/phenolic composites (CPCs)
• inter laminar shear strength (ILSS)
• thermal diffusivity