Examination of the Combustion Morphology of Ziconium Carbide Using Scanning Electron Microscopy

University of Utah

Calculation of viscous particle damping of acoustic combustion instability in solid propellant motors requires an understanding of the combustion behavior of added particles and oxides. A simple hydrogen/oxygen flame was used to ignite carefully sieved zirconium carbide particles which were impacted on slides at different levels below the burner.

Scanning electron microscopy revealed that zirconium carbide has a complex heterogeneous combustion morphology. Initially, particles are partly vitreous and crystalline with a complex surface area. Upon ignition, particles round, but soon wrinkle as zirconium oxide deposits on the surface. Such morphology information is useful to refine viscous damping calculations.