A study of the kinetics of high‐temperature carbon‐silica reactions in an ablative polymer composite

The kinetics of high‐temperature carbon‐silica reactions for a widely used glass‐filled phenolic resin have been studied. Weight‐loss and rate‐of‐weight‐loss data were obtained at four heating rates ranging from 5 to 50°C per minute using standard thermogravimetric techniques. Experimental data were obtained at temperatures between 30 and approximately 1700°C. The kinetic parameters were calculated from these data using a multiple heating rate technique. Close agreement was obtained between the fractional weight loss calculated using the kinetic parameters and the measured values.