Hypervelocity impact experiment on two-dimensional plain-woven C/SiC composites

Two-dimensional (2D) plain-woven C/SiC composite plates and duralumin (LY12) plates were impacted by mylar-film flyer plates which were loaded by an electrical gun to 3.4-9.5 m/s, respectively. The free interfacial velocities of the experimental plates were measured with a laser Doppler velocimeter and the impact-induced debris clouds were collected with prepared foam plates. And the damage areas of the experimental plates were inspected by using an ultrasonic scanning system. Based on the above experimental results, the mechanical responses of the 2D plain-woven C/SiC composites under hypervelocity impact were analyzed. The above experimental results show that with the increase of the impact intensity, the free interfacial velocities of the 2D plain-woven C/SiC composite plates increase, the local damage areas increase, and the debris clouds-affected regions in the prepared foam plates increase. And compared with the LY12 plates subjected to the impact of the same intensity, the intensities of the debris clouds from the 2D plain-woven C/SiC composite plates are lower, their affecting regions in the foam plates are larger, and the areic impact energies are lower. So the 2D plain-woven C/SiC composites can markedly decrease the damage which will be suffered by protected objects and it can be used as an ideal protective material in space debris protection shields.