Recent Discoveries of Novel Ablative Thermal Protection Nanocomposites and Nanostructures

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanocomposite Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2026 | Viewed by 538

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Center for Composite Materials and Structures, National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Advanced Composites in Special Environments, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
Interests: design of ultra-lightweight micro-abrasive thermal protection composite materials, construction of micro-nano structures and thermal protection mechanism; reusable thermal insulation composite material components and structural design, preparation, and the mechanism of high-temperature microstructure evolution; exploration of new principles, structures and technologies for ultra-lightweight thermal protection composite materials in extreme operating environments

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

One of the most critical challenges in developing thermal protection systems (TPS) for aerospace vehicles lies in understanding and optimizing the ablative behavior of materials in extreme environments. Thermal protection materials must withstand ultra-high temperatures and intense aerodynamic–thermal–chemical coupling while maintaining structural integrity. Thermal protection materials must withstand ultra-high temperatures and intense aerodynamic–thermal–chemical coupling while maintaining structural integrity. Therefore, the preparation of novel thermally protective nanocomposites, the development of unique thermally protective nanostructures, and the in-depth investigation of the mechanism of the fine-scale ablative degradation behavior of nanocomposites have become the focus of future research in this field.

This Special Issue is dedicated to presenting the latest advances in lightweight ablative thermally protective nanocomposites and nanostructures, bridging the gap between materials science, structural engineering, and performance simulation and prediction. We aim to highlight the current state-of-the-art in ablative materials design and synthesis, structural innovations, and high-fidelity simulations that capture the complex thermal–mechanical–chemical interactions during ablation. Contributions from leading research groups will provide a comprehensive picture of current challenges and future directions.

Dr. Xiangyu Jin
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • ablative thermal protection nanomaterials
  • thermo–mechanical–chemical coupling
  • thermal protection nanostructure design
  • nano material-structure integration
  • refractory nanocomposites
  • aerospace thermal protection
  • computational modeling of ablation

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 2410 KB  
Article
Spectral and Acoustic Characterization of Nanoenergetic Devices Based on Sodium Perchlorate-Impregnated Porous Silicon
by Abel Apaza Quispe, Ana C. Bueno Borges and Walter Jaimes Salcedo
Nanomaterials 2025, 15(21), 1672; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15211672 - 3 Nov 2025
Viewed by 389
Abstract
This work reports the controlled synthesis and characterization of nanoenergetic composites composed of porous silicon (PS) impregnated with sodium perchlorate (NaClO4) for precision energy-release applications. PS films were fabricated by electrochemical anodization of p-type silicon (10–20 Ω·cm), with systematic variation in [...] Read more.
This work reports the controlled synthesis and characterization of nanoenergetic composites composed of porous silicon (PS) impregnated with sodium perchlorate (NaClO4) for precision energy-release applications. PS films were fabricated by electrochemical anodization of p-type silicon (10–20 Ω·cm), with systematic variation in current density (50–200 mA cm−2) and anodization time (10–25 min) to tailor pore morphology. The energetic behavior of the composites was evaluated through thermal ignition tests, optical emission spectroscopy (300–1000 nm), acoustic analysis (0–500 Hz), and high-speed imaging. Optimal energy release was obtained for PS films anodized at 100 mA cm−2 for 15–20 min, attributed to their hierarchical pore architecture that facilitated complete oxidant infiltration. Overall, this work provides additional insights beyond previous reports by correlating the explosive efficiency with both anodization time—linked to PS film thickness—and current density—associated with porosity. A portable multispectral optical system with fiber-optic access to the explosion chamber was developed for in situ characterization, offering a safe and versatile approach for measurements in explosive environments. To the best of our knowledge, no prior studies have analyzed the correlation between the acoustic signatures and explosion intensity in PS–NaClO4 systems as proposed here. Full article
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