Optical transformation characteristic of silicone resin matrix composite coatings under high-energy laser ablation

The easy destruction of most conventional materials by high-energy lasers is a great concern. Anti-laser coatings with ablative heat absorption capabilities are effective in preventing laser damage. However, their extremely low reflectivity implies a high energy absorption rate, which can result in rapid failure. In this study, silicone resin matrix composite coatings were designed and prepared by incorporating ceramic modification components to realize desired optical transformation characteristics. The modification effects on ZrC/SiC, ZrSi₂, TiC/SiC, and TiSi₂ were specifically studied with a high-energy continuous-wave laser (1080 nm). The results showed that oxidation reactions during laser ablation play a significant role in phase change and optical transformation. The element analysis proved that the composition rapidly changed from carbide and silicide to oxide, leading to the formation of oxide layer with relatively high reflectivity in laser ablation region. In particularly, oxidation and ablation of ZrSi₂ facilitated the exposure, gathering, and sintering of ZrO₂, which realized an increase in reflection from 6.2 % to 34.9 % during laser ablation (500 W/cm², 60 s). The optical transformation characteristics were compared with the evolution of diffuse reflection intensity and its corresponding differential curve, which indicates that ZrSi₂ exhibited the best performance.