In view of sustainable and responsive space access, Solid Rocket Motors (SRMs) provide most of the thrust required to reach Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Thermal Protection System (TPS) materials such as Carbon/Phenolic Composites (CPCs), Carbon/Carbon Composites (CCCs) and, more recently, Ultra High Temperature Ceramics (UHTCs) are essential to produce next generation Italian/European launchers to preserve the independent access to space through indigenous launch systems. Such TPS materials are also considered for heat shields of vehicles re-entry into a planetary atmosphere or leading edges of hypersonic vehicles. As for UHTCs, formulations developed so far display some critical aspects related to fabrication technologies, realistic materials testing, use of Critical Raw Materials (CRMs), and thermomechanical properties to be improved. To this aim, I-CREATE will explore a new class of UHTCs consisting of Transition Metal Boride-based Solid Solutions (TMBSSs), which includes the recently discovered High Entropy Borides (HEBs), possibly capable to withstand the harsh conditions existing in the throat region of SRMs. Only few studies are available in the literature on binary to quaternary TMBSSs, with their high temperature behavior nearly unexplored. This holds also true regarding the impact provided by the introduction of secondary phases on their performances.
Another objective of I-CREATE is to introduce an innovative, reliable, and affordable testing protocol based on High Velocity Oxy-Fuel (HVOF) torches to test such novel TMBSS formulations. This approach will provide unprecedented insights on the physics of ablation of UHTCs. In addition, the experimental data acquired by means of this unique HVOF-based test bed will produce new and valuable results. A broad effort to model the oxidation behavior of novel UHTC formulations will be also undertaken. The different formulation of TMBSSs taken into account will be then compared in terms of performances under extreme environmental conditions.
It is worth remarking that the objectives of I-CREATE are in line with the European Space Agency (ESA) Future Launchers Preparatory Programme (FLPP), aimed at safeguard Europe’s access to space, as well as with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) Strategic Vision 2016-2025 document. Moreover, I-CREATE fits with the objectives of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the Recovery Assistance for Cohesion and the Territories of Europe (REACT-EU), the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), and the National Smart Specialisation Strategy (NSSS), with particular regard to the areas of access to space, aerospace, and defense.