Table 1.
Currently used and proposed materials for thrusters
| Material | Tested | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| Boron nitride, BN | Tested, in use, high efficiency, low erosion (0.02 mm3/C at 300 V) | 131, 139, 140 |
| Borosil, BN + SiO2 | Tested, in use, high efficiency, low wear | 131, 141 |
| Alumina, Al2O3 | Tested, medium efficiency, low erosion (0.01 mm3/C at 300 V) | 139, 141 |
| Silicon carbide, SiC | Tested, medium efficiency, medium erosion | 131 |
| Graphite | Tested, low efficiency, high erosion | 65 |
| Nanocrystalline diamond | Tested, high efficiency, low erosion | 131, 142 |
| CVD diamond | Tested for wear, lower erosion | 63 |
| Ultra-BN, uBN | Tested, high efficiency, very low wear | New result |