MANCHESTER, UK - Researchers at The University of Manchester in collaboration with Central South University, China, have created a new kind of ceramic coating that could revolutionize hypersonic travel for air, space and defense purposes.
Hypersonic travel means moving at Mach five or above, which is at least five times faster than the speed of sound. When moving at such velocity the heat generated by air and gas in the atmosphere is extremely hot and can have a serious impact on an aircraft or projectile’s structural integrity. That is because the temperatures hitting the aircraft can reach anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 °C.