Study of particle erosion damage in Haynes Stellite 6B I: Scanning electron microscopy of eroded surfaces

The erosion behavior of metals and alloys by solid particles entrained in relatively slow moving gases is of current interest as a result of ongoing efforts in coal conversion and the consequent production of dust-laden gases. Haynes Stellite 6B represents a typical alloy used for erosive wear resistance in such situations and also provides an appropriate alloy for the study of the mechanisms of erosion because it comprises essentially large brittle carbide phases in a ductile matrix. A scanning electron microscope study of the surface of Stellite 6B after erosion by alumina particles is described, and the types of erosion damage incurred by the ductile metal matrix and the brittle carbides are characterized. The only mechanism of material loss of the ductile metal for which positive evidence was found was cutting, with the possibility that fracture on a very fine scale may also be involved. The mechanism of material removal from the carbides appeared to be by surface crack interlinkage. Under the conditions studied, corners of the eroding alumina particles were found to break off and to adhere to the alloy or carbide surface; at the highest impact velocity studied an extensive layer of embedded alumina fragments was built up on the alloy surface and probably modified its erosion behavior.     

A mechanistic model for the prediction of ductile erosion

Mechanisms operative in dust erosion of ductile materials were determined with the aid of scanning electron microscope studies. Dimensional analysis was employed in the development of a mathematical model for predicting the erosion of ductile materials. The basis of the model was an identified erosion mechanism (target melting) and the model was verified in an erosion testing program. The target materials in the testing program were three stainless steels, two aluminum alloys, a beryllium copper alloy and a titanium alloy. The erosive agents were three dusts with hard angular particles and one dust with spherical particles. Maximum particle velocities were 130 or 250 ms^?1.     

Fluid dynamic mechanisms of particle flow causing ductile and brittle erosion

Traditional prediction of erosion focuses on the use of velocity and impact angle of particles as independent variables in analytically derived models. This approach is most suitable for numerical predictions of erosion in disperse flow fields where particle trajectories may easily be followed prior to impact. For dense particle flows, the prediction of individual particle or particle cluster movement is nearly never attempted by following trajectories. Instead, two-fluid Eulerian–Eulerian approaches are used in which a continuous particle fluid phase is considered.The present study shows that the impact velocity and angle of attack of particles at the eroding surface are difficult to obtain for dense flows, thus being difficult to consider as parameters for predicting erosion. Instead, it is proposed that the normal and the shearing components of the viscous dissipation of the particulate phase are more suitable as independent flow variables governing the erosion process. These variables describe deformation and cutting wear processes, respectively, and are readily derived from the flow field.Eulerian erosion models are proposed, based on these independent variables. It is possible to implement previous results and theories concerning the material–mechanical interaction between the abrasive and an eroding surface to achieve model improvements. In this work, only a simple model taking into account a threshold elastic strain limit is proposed, to more correctly model the deformation wear.The particle-flow boundary condition — a partial-slip condition — significantly influences the erosion process, particularly the cutting erosion. The boundary condition depends on parameters such as the local particle phase flow, the mean diameter and the sharpness of the abrasive as well as the surface roughness.A simple 2D test application — a jet stream of particles impinging a tilted plate — is presented, and the qualitative angular behaviour of ductile and brittle erosion is reproduced at the target position. A scheme is presented for determination of material constants and suitable boundary conditions to be used in the proposed erosion models.     

Experimental verification of a model of erosion due to the impact of rigid single angular particles on fully plastic targets

A previously described rigid-plastic model of the erosion of ductile targets by the impact of single angular particles was experimentally verified over a wide range of particle angularities, incident angles of attack, and incident orientation angles. The model assumes that the particle is perfectly rigid and thus is non-deforming, while the target material response is fully plastic, so that elastic rebound effects are neglected.Measurements of particle rebound kinematics, crater volume, and crater shape revealed generally good agreement with those predicted by the rigid-plastic model, and erosion mechanisms resulting from particles tumbling either forwards or backwards, were identified. For highly angular particles, target material removal sometimes occurred due to tunnelling of the particles below the target surface, leading to early break-off of a machined chip, behaviour that could not be predicted by the rigid-plastic model. Besides providing insights into fundamental erosion mechanisms, the results of the present study can be used to predict particle rebound kinematics, crucial for simulations of erosive streams which take into account interference between incident and rebounding particles.     

An experimental study on the machining characteristics in ductile-mode milling of BK-7 glass

Glass is considered as one of the most challenging materials to machine because of its high hardness coupled with high brittleness. The challenge, in machining such a brittle material, lies in achieving the material removal through plastic deformation rather than characteristic brittle fracture. It has already been established that every brittle material, no matter how brittle it is, can be machined in ductile mode under certain critical conditions. The critical conditions are material specific, and hence, every material tends to show unique behavior in terms of critical conditions during machining process. This paper outlines the results of an experimental study to determine the critical chip thickness for ductile–brittle transition, chip morphology, and the effect of cutting speed on the critical conditions in peripheral milling process of BK-7 glass. It is established experimentally that the cutting speed affects the chip morphology, machined surface quality, and critical conditions due to possible thermal effects in such a way that ductile–brittle transition phenomenon is facilitated at high cutting speeds.     

Processing capabilities of micro ultrasonic machining for hard and brittle materials: SPH analysis and experimental verification

Micro ultrasonic machining (micro-USM) is an unconventional micromachining technology that has capability to fabricate high aspect ratio micro-holes, intricate shapes and features on various hard and brittle materials. The material removal in USM is based on brittle fracture of work materials. The mechanical properties and fracture behaviour are different for varied hard and brittle materials, which would make a big difference in the processing capability of micro-USM. To study the processing capability of USM and exploit its potential, the material removal of work materials, wear of abrasive particles and wear of machining tools in USM of three typical hard and brittle materials including float glass, alumina, and silicon carbide were investigated in this work. Both smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations and verification experiments were conducted. The material removal rate is found to decrease in the order of glass, alumina, and silicon carbide, which can be well explained by the simulation results that cracking of glass is faster and larger compared to the other materials. Correspondingly, the tool wear rate also dropped significantly thanks to the faster material removal, and a formation of concavity on the tool tip center due to intensive wear was prevented. The SPH model is proved useful for studying USM of different hard and brittle materials, and capable of predicting the machining performance.     

Numerical simulation of solid particle impacts on Al6061-T6 Part II: Materials removal mechanisms for impact of multiple angular particles

In the accompanying paper (M. Takaffoli, M. Papini, Numerical simulation of solid particle impacts on Al6061-T6 Part I: Three dimensional representation of angular particles), it was demonstrated that realistic 3D models of angular particles could be generated and used with a smoothed particle hydrodynamics model to simulate the damage done to an Al6061-T6 target due to many non-overlapping particle impacts. In this paper, the same methodology was used to simulate overlapping impacts, and thus the material removal mechanisms associated with the solid particle erosion of this material. The evolution of the topography of the blasted surface was simulated, and the surface ripple patterns that typically form during the erosion of aluminum alloys were observed. The predicted volumetric erosion rates at different impact angles were, on average, within 7% of those measured in erosion experiments. An investigation of the simulated trajectory of the impacting particles revealed the cooperative contribution of overlapping impacts to material loss, and solid particle erosion mechanisms such as the micromachining of chips, the ploughing of craters, and the formation, forging and knocking off of crater lips. The results indicate that numerical simulation of the solid particle erosion of ductile metals by realistic angular particles is possible.     

Micro/nano Indentation and Single Grit Diamond Grinding Mechanism on Ultra Pure Fused Silica

The existing research about ductile grinding of fused silica glass was mainly focused on how to carry out ductile regime material removal for generating very smoothed surface and investigate the machining-induced damage in the grinding in order to reduce or eliminate the subsurface damage.The brittle/ductile transition behavior of optical glass materials and the wear of diamond wheel are the most important factors for ductile grinding of optical glass.In this paper,the critical brittle/ductile depth,the inf...     

Characterization and solid particle erosion behavior of plasma sprayed alumina and calcia-stabilized zirconia coatings on Al-6061 substrate

Repeated impact by solid particles causes erosion and degradation of engineering components. In internal combustion engines, during combustion, hot gases are generated in large quantity which causes erosion of cylinder, combustion chamber, exhaust system, etc. In this work, two types of plasma sprayed coating systems were developed on Al-6061 substrate. For each system, a systematic microstructural study was carried out to understand changes occurred after spraying. Mechanical properties like density, adhesion strength and hardness of coatings were determined. A solid particle erosion test was conducted on coating systems according to ASTM G-76-02 and results were correlated with the microstructural and subsequent mechanical property change. It was observed that volume erosion is more at 45° angle of impact and shows that behavior is in between ductile and brittle. This work also discusses the mechanism involved in erosion wear of plasma sprayed coating systems.     

Wear of ceramic nozzles by dry sand blasting

Monolithic B₄C, Al₂O₃/(W,Ti)C and Al₂O₃/TiC/Mo/Ni ceramic composites, which provided a reasonably wide range of mechanical properties and microstructure, were produced to be used as nozzles materials. The erosion wear of the nozzle caused by abrasive particle impact was compared with dry sand blasting by determining the cumulative mass loss of the nozzles made from these materials. Results showed that the hardness of the nozzle material plays an important role with respect to its erosion wear. On the nozzle entry bore section, the B₄C nozzle appears to be entirely brittle in nature with the evidence of large scale-chipping, and exhibited a brittle fracture induced removal process. While the erosion mechanism of Al₂O₃/TiC/Mo/Ni nozzle appeared to be a preferential removal of the metal binder followed by pluck out of the undermined Al₂O₃ and TiC grains under the same test conditions. On the nozzle center bore zone, the B₄C nozzle fails in a highly brittle manner, and there are lots of obvious micro-cracks and small pits located on this area. While the primary wear mechanisms of Al₂O₃/TiC/Mo/Ni nozzle is plowing and micro-cutting by the abrasive particles. Both types of material removal model seem to be occurred for the Al₂O₃/(W,Ti)C nozzle.     

A physically-based abrasive wear model for composite materials

A simple physically-based model for the abrasive wear of composite materials is presented based on the mechanics and mechanisms associated with sliding wear in soft (ductile)- matrix composites containing hard (brittle) reinforcement particles. The model is based on the assumption that any portion of the reinforcement that is removed as wear debris cannot contribute to the wear resistance of the matrix material. The size of this non-contributing portion (NCP) of reinforcement is estimated by modeling three primary wear mechanisms, specifically, plowing, cracking at the matrix/reinforcement interface or in the reinforcement, and particle removal. Critical variables describing the role of the reinforcement, such as relative size, fracture toughness and the nature of the matrix/reinforcement interface, are characterized by a single contribution coefficient, C. Predictions are compared with the results of experimental two-body (pin-on-drum) abrasive wear tests performed on a model aluminum particulate-reinforced epoxy-matrix composite material.     

On the size effect in abrasive and erosive wear

It is a familiar observation that the wear process in erosion and both two- and three-body abrasion of ductile metals becomes less efficient as the eroding or abrading particle size decreases below about 100 μm. At least a dozen explanations have been presented for this phenomenon, with most studies having been restricted to one type of wear. In the present work we present results for erosion and two-and three-body abrasion using a range of particle sizes, and we draw on the grinding and metal-cutting literature. It is concluded that the only explanation for the size effect which cannot be discounted is that shallow surface layers exhibit a higher flow stress than that of the bulk material when they are abraded or eroded.     

Erosion behavior of thermal sprayed,recycled polymer and ethylene–methacrylic acid composite coatings

Polymer consumption is increasing and the recycling rate is 30–40 wt.%. Thus any process or application that uses recycled plastic residue will be looked upon with favor. It has been demonstrated that post-consumer commingled polymer, or PCCP, coatings can be produced by thermal spraying. Furthermore, polymeric coatings are widely used as protective coatings against solid particle erosion. Therefore, in this paper the erosion behavior of thermal spray coatings that have some PCCP material is investigated. The coatings were produced using a low velocity combustion thermal spray process and a PCCP mixed with different levels of virgin ethylene–methacrylic acid co-polymer (EMAA). The erosion rates using 50 μm alumina were determined at impact angles of 30° and 90°. The wear features were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and profilometry. The results exhibited brittle wear features, consistent with the relationship between erosion rates and mechanical properties of the polymers. However, a decrease in erosion rate with an increase in impact angle, from 30° to 90°, indicates ductile behavior during erosion.     

FEM analysis of erosive wear

Surface damage caused by the impact of dispersed particles in gas or liquid flow is called “erosion”. Much attention has been paid to this phenomenon as one of the most serious problems to be solved, particularly concerning pipe-bends or valves in pneumatic conveying systems. But the phenomena of erosive wear are so complicated and vary depending on the factors of not only the kinds of material, hardness, shapes, sizes and mechanical properties of the particles, but also of blasting angles and velocity.

For the purpose of this study, mild steel was prepared and erosion wear tests were carried out. Steel grits were impacted against target materials at different incident angles. The results showed that the wear losses varied markedly as a function of the impact angles, and that the maximum wear occurred at specific angles. Maximum wear occurred at 20–30° for mild steel, and 60° for ductile iron. This impact angle dependence of wear was simulated by Tabor’s theory and FEM which could analyze the plastic deformation of alloy surface as a result of a single particle impact. In the case of both mild steel and ductile cast iron, it was found that the impact angles play a very important and valid role in the corrosion process.     

Erosive wear on ceramic materials obtained from solid residuals and volcanic ashes

In this study, the performance of ceramic materials that were subjected to solid particle erosion was analyzed. This research was performed to characterize the materials in relation to the wear process. The materials could be used in the construction of devices and machine components that are commonly exposed to environments where volatile, abrasive particles typically cause a high rate of wear. The types of composites used in this study could have useful applications in mechanical components, automotive coatings, etc. These materials are usually obtained from solid residuals and volcanic ashes, in which clay and epoxy resin were used as binders.The erosion testing was performed in accordance with the ASTM G76-95 standard. The samples had a rectangular shape, and their dimensions were 50×25 mm² and 10 mm in thickness. The abrasive particles used were angular silicon carbide (SiC) with a particle size of 420-450 μm. The tests were performed using three different incident angles (30°, 45° and 90°) with a particle velocity of 24±2 m/s. The abrasive flow rate was 70 g/min. The particle velocity and the abrasive flow rate were low in all the tests to reduce the interaction between the incident particles and the rebounding particles in the system. Additionally, the total time of each test was 10 min, and the specimens were removed every 2 min to determine the amount of mass lost. The test specimens were located a distance of 7 mm from the shot blast. The surface of the specimens was examined with a scanning electron microscope (SEM), which characterized the erosive wear damage.The results indicated that all of the ceramic materials reached their maximum erosion rate at an incident angle of 90°. The erosion rate was significantly decreased when the angle of incidence was 30°. Additionally, the ceramics that consisted of volcanic ashes and sand mixed with epoxy resin gave a better erosion resistance compared with the materials that were combined with clay. It was assumed that the combination that was mixed with epoxy resin produced a more compact structure in the specimens, which resulted in a less severe attack of the particles that were acting on the surface of the material. The sand and the volcanic ashes that were mixed with clay, which had the poorest performance in the tests, exhibited similar behavior.It was also observed that the damaged area was extended in all of the cases that used an incident angle of 45°, whereas the depth of the wear scars was higher when an incident angle of 90° (normal incidence) was used. The wear scars were characterized by an elliptical shape at 30° and 45°, which is a characteristic feature when the specimens are impacted at low-impact angles (α≤45°), whereas a circular shape was observed at 90°.     

Modelling the erosion rate in micro abrasive air jet machining of glasses

Micro abrasive jet machining (MAJM) is an economical and efficient technology for micro-machining of brittle material like glasses. The erosion of brittle materials by solid micro-particles is a complex process in which material is removed from the target surface by brittle fractures. The rate of material removal is one of the most important quantities for a machining process. Predictive mathematical models for the erosion rates in micro-hole drilling and micro-channel cutting on glasses with an abrasive air jet are developed. A dimensional analysis technique is used to formulate the models as functions of the particle impact parameters, target material properties and the major process parameters that are known to affect the erosion process of brittle materials. The predictive capability of the models is assessed and verified by an experimental investigation covering a range of the common process parameters such as air pressure, abrasive mass flow rate, stand-off distance and machining time (for hole machining) or traverse speed (for channel machining). It shows that model predictions are in good agreement with the experimental results.     

Analysis of boiler-tube erosion by the technique of acoustic emission Part I. Mechanical erosion

This paper investigates the mechanical erosion of the metal tubes in bagasse-fired boilers with the aid of the acoustic emission technique. By studying the material removal under various collision conditions, the paper analyzes the dependence of the erosion wear upon the impact angle, velocity, size and concentration of the particles. It was found that the material removal mechanisms were mainly dependent on the particle collision angle and fell into four regimes characterized by rubbing and scratching, cutting and cracking, forging and extrusion as well as sputtering and adhesion. The highest wear rate took place with the cutting and cracking mechanism when the particle collision angle was in the range of 20–30°. The variation of the acoustic emission energy confirmed the conclusions. Finally, three simple formulae were developed to show the dependence of the erosion wear upon the main erosion parameters.     

Ultraprecision machining of polymers

The single-point diamond machining of several polymeric materials has been investigated. The final surface structure and roughness of the workpiece is determined by well-established fundamentals of polymer mechanics. Material is removed via ductile, brittle, or transitional mechanisms that depend on polymer properties such as glass transition temperature, relaxation time, degree of crosslinking, and viscosity. For some materials, the mechanism could be changed from ductile to brittle with a change of operating and tool parameters. In brittle materials, the surface roughness is largely controlled by the rake face angle of the diamond. For ductile workpieces, the melt viscosity of the polymer is important. Crosslinked materials are restricted from ductile behavior by the presence of chemical bonds. As a result, material removal occurs by rupture or an extreme fracture process. With an understanding of polymer behavior, suitability of new materials for single-point diamond machining can be assessed. The change of successful processing within the operating range of the tool can be determined with a minimum number of trial and error experiments.     

Mechanical properties and features of erosion of cermets

The erosive wear resistance of cermets with different composition, structure and properties has been investigated. It has been shown that cermets erosive wear resistance cannot be estimated only by hardness, characterised by resistance to penetration. The differences in wear resistance between cermet materials with equal hardness level can be attributed to differences in their resistance to fracture. The present paper discusses some features of the material removal process during the particle–wall collision. Solid particle erosion tests on eight materials have been performed using silicon carbide and silica abrasive particles within a range of erodent size of 0.1–0.3 mm, impact angles from 30 to 90° and particle velocity from 30 to 80 m s⁻¹. In order to clarify the details of the impact, the process of interaction of solid particles with cermet targets was studied using a laser Doppler anemometer (LDA) measuring technique. Systematic studies of the influence of the impact variables on the collision process have been carried out.     

Solid Particle Erosion Behavior of WC Coating Obtained by Electrospark Technique and Detonation Spraying

Solid particle erosion is an important material degradation process. One way of improving the erosion resistance of a material is to suitably modify the surface. Electrospark deposition (ESD) is a well-known surface modification process. Operational simplicity, low capital cost, and low operational cost of the ESD process have made it attractive for high-technology areas in engineering industries. Tungsten carbide (WC) is considered a potential hard material for erosion-resistant application. This material can be deposited by ESD. The present investigation has been undertaken to evaluate the room-temperature erosion response of WC coating deposited by ESD and to compare the erosion behavior of this coating with that of detonation-sprayed WC-Co coating. WC coatings were deposited on mild steel (MS) and aluminum substrate by ESD. Similarly, WC-12% Co coatings were deposited on MS and Al by detonation spraying. The microstructural features and mechanical properties of these coatings were characterized using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction, and microhardness testing. The solid particle erosion rate was determined using an erosion test rig. The morphology of the eroded surfaces and the areas beneath the eroded surfaces were examined by means of SEM. The results showed that the WC coating by ESD improves erosion resistance. Although most coatings exhibit a ductile erosion response, WC coating by ESD on Al substrate exhibits a brittle erosion response. Material loss from ESD coating on Al occurs due to the joining of preexisting cracks and the removal of chunk of material.