Comparison of cavitation erosion test results from venturi and vibratory facilities

A detailed comparison of cavitation erosion performance in tap water for five alloys in a vibratory (no-flow) system and a Venturi (flow) system was made. The effects of temperature variation (80 – 200 °F), Venturi throat velocity (34 – 49 m s^?1) and vibratory horn double amplitude were studied. Correlations between maximum erosion rate (maximum mean depth of penetration rate (MDPR_max)) and incubation period IP, and the material mechanical properties Brinell hardness and ultimate resilience $\text{UR =}\text{UTS}{}^2\text{2E}$. (where UTS is the ultimate tensile strength and E is the elastic modulus), were examined. Only moderate success was achieved in correlations between “erosion resistance” MDPR_max^?1 and IP and these mechanical properties. However, a good correlation was found between MDPR_max and IP, pertinent to both facilities, of the form MDPR_max^?1 = aIPⁿ, where n is near unity (0.94). The cavitation intensity, as measured by MDPR_max, was found to be 10–20 times greater in the vibratory system, depending on horn amplitude and material. This ratio varies between 5 and 30 if individual materials are considered separately, being greatest for 1018 carbon steel and least for 316 stainless steel. This indicates the important differences in form between these cavitating regimes and the imprecision of material comparisons made in both regimes.     

Modeling and analysis of mechanical Quality factor of the resonator for cylinder vibratory gyroscope

Mechanical Quality factor(Q factor) of the resonator is an important parameter for the cylinder vibratory gyroscope(CVG). Traditional analytical methods mainly focus on a partial energy loss during the vibration process of the CVG resonator, thus are not accurate for the mechanical Q factor prediction. Therefore an integrated model including air damping loss, surface defect loss, support loss, thermoelastic damping loss and internal friction loss is proposed to obtain the mechanical Q factor of the CVG resonator. Based on structural dynamics and energy dissipation analysis, the contribution of each energy loss to the total mechanical Q factor is quantificationally analyzed. For the resonator with radius ranging from 10 mm to 20 mm, its mechanical Q factor is mainly related to the support loss, thermoelastic damping loss and internal friction loss, which are fundamentally determined by the geometric sizes and material properties of the resonator. In addition, resonators made of alloy 3J53 (Ni42CrTiAl), with different sizes, were experimentally fabricated to test the mechanical Q factor. The theoretical model is well verified by the experimental data, thus provides an effective theoretical method to design and predict the mechanical Q factor of the CVG resonator.     

Cavitation erosion incubation period

To evaluate the “incubation period” (IP) stage of cavitation erosion, short-duration vibratory horn tests in tap water were made on soft aluminum alloy (aluminum alloy 1100-O) and also on a much more resistant alloy (316 stainless steel). Curves of weight loss versus time, and corresponding scanning electron microscopy photomicrographs taken during the IP, are presented and discussed. The effects of horn amplitude and temperature are investigated for “open-beaker” tests. The IP for 316 stainless steel is found to be about 500 times that for aluminum alloy 1100-O for the same amplitude and temperature. This ratio can be predicted almost exactly by applying an assumed relation between MDPR_max and IP, i.e. MDPR_max^?1 = k(IP)ⁿ.Fatigue cracks and individual-blow craters were found for 316 stainless steel but only individual craters were found for aluminum alloy 1100-O, although their ductilities are approximately equal. It is found that the IP based on the eroded area only, IP_erod, is much less than the conventional IP (based on the total specimen area) if IP is based on the attainment of a given mean depth of erosion MDP.Relations between the eventual erosion rate MDPR_max and the IP are considered. It is found that IP data can often be used to predict eventual MDPR_max values according to the relation MDPR_max^?1 ∝ (IP)ⁿ where n ≈ 0.93 and n ≈ 0.95 for our vibratory and Venturi data respectively. However, different values for n have been reported in the literature. By assuming a “characteristic” erosion-time curve the time of occurrence of MDPR_max can also be estimated.It is verified that only bubble collapse stresses are important in the vibratory horn test, although specimens are vibrated under very high accelerations.     

Abrasive wear of some commercial polymers

Cylindrical test pins of some commercial polymer-based bearing materials (comprising two nylons 6, a filled nylon 6/6, a filled ultra-high molecular weight polyethene (uhmwpe) and three polyurethanes) were rotated, in dry conditions and at constant load and sliding speed, on circular tracks on stationary discs of steel gauze and abrasive paper.Wear against run-in steel gauze was proportional to the sliding time (distance), with the specific wear rate, v_sp, (wear volume per unit area per unit sliding distance) varying with the nominal pressure, p, according to v_sp = Kp^α. Values of K and α are presented enabling comparison of the fatigue wear of the materials at various loads against steel (or a counterface with rounded asperities) in non-transfer film conditions. Nylon 6 showed the least wear and the polyurethanes showed the greatest wear, up to pressures of 3.43 MN m^?2 (500 lbf in^?2).With abrasive paper, the circular path became progressively clogged with transfer films and wear debris, and the wear volume, ΔW, diminished with time, t, throughout the test duration, following the relationship ΔW = Dt^c, where both c and D are functions of the wear path diameter. c appears to be related to the film transfer capability of the polymer. The best overall abrasive wear resistance (in transfer film conditions) was exhibited by the filled uhmwpe, followed by two polyurethanes. Nylon 6 showed relatively poor abrasion resistance under these conditions. The mechanical properties indicate, with one exception, a similar ranking order for non-transfer film conditions     

Vibratory cavitation erosion in aqueous solutions

Vibratory cavitation erosion tests on AISI-SAE 1018 carbon steel in tap water and in mild (0.1 M) aqueous solutions of CaCO₃, CaO, NaHCO₃ and NaOH were conducted at a temperature of 80 °F (27 °C), a double amplitude of 1.38 × 10^?3 in (35.1 μm) and a pressure of 1 atm. For the maximum (150 min) test duration the weight loss in tap water (no additive) is the smallest. However, this is not the case for shorter test times. The biggest difference between weight losses among the various solutions is about 10% – 30%, which is somewhat beyond natural data scatter for such vibratory tests. Released gases and also particles may play an important role in the results.There are three easily distinguishable damage regions for all cavitated surfaces, i.e. generally undamaged rim, central heavily damaged region and transition region, as for most vibratory tests. The relative areas of the three regions are about 53.5%, 0.13% and 46.4% respectively for the present tests.The erosion rate and extent of the damaged regions do not depend substantially on the solute tested. The very small area of the heavily damaged central region is presumably due to the relatively low horn amplitude used in these tests. The increase in damage rate with respect to tap water is about 50% for the maximum test duration.Surface photographs and scanning electron microscopy photomicrographs (for a test duration of 150 min) are presented. Cracks, intercrystalline fractures and single-blow craters are most concentrated in the central region, as would be expected.     

Use of vibratory polishing for the location of ion-bombardment induced voids in metal foils

The technique of vibratory polishing has been successfully applied to the controlled removal of surfaces for examination of ion-irradiation damage structure in nickel, a nickel-based alloy, and stainless steel. The application of this technique to the study of voids formed in localized layers in nickel and stainless steel during high dose 20 MeV carbon ion irradiation is described. Transmission electron microscopy observations of the vibratory polished surfaces reveal mechanical damage in the form of linear tracks (～ 100 nm wide) which are produced by the abrasive Al₂O₃ particles used for polishing. These tracks do not prevent observation of irradiation damage structure. An example is shown of a thin (～ 100 nm edge thickness) foil produced entirely by this mechanical polishing process. It is proposed that this technique will be equally applicable to the preparation of transmission electron microscope specimens from a wide range of metals, from alloys containing second-phase particles and from ceramics, glasses and oxides which are not amenable to preparation by chemical or electro-polishing.     

Design of multi-degree-of-freedom micromachined vibratory gyroscope with double sense-modes

This paper presents a novel multi-degree-of-freedom (multi-DOF) micromachined vibratory gyroscope design operated at atmospheric pressure. In this design, the complete 2-DOF vibratory structure is utilized in drive-mode and sense-mode and also, the 2-DOF sense-mode is implemented in both driving frame and proof frame, which form the double 2-DOF sense-modes. The 2-DOF vibratory structure could provide drive-mode and sense-mode with large bandwidth and the double 2-DOF sense-modes could provide high gain of gyroscope system, which improves the inherent robustness and sensitivity simultaneously. The simulation results demonstrate that the summed signal of drive-mode dynamic response is consistent with that of sense-mode and that the gain of proposed multi-DOF micromachined vibratory gyroscope can reach up to −10 dB, increased by above 8 dB compared to the design with single 2-DOF sense-mode. Meanwhile, the 3 dB bandwidth of gyroscope system is larger than 200 Hz.     

The wear characteristics of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene against a high density alumina ceramic under wet (distilled water) and dry conditions

In recent years there has been growing interest in the use of high density alumina ceramic material for the femoral ball in association with ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) for the acetabular component in total replacement hip joints.The wear characteristics of UHMWPE pins sliding against a high density alumina ceramic disc in the presence of distilled water in a tri-pin-on-disc machine have been revealed in very long-term experiments reported in this paper. A total sliding distance in excess of 6000 km was achieved and very low mean wear coefficients of the order of 10^?8 mm³ N^?1 m^?1 were recorded.Experiments were also carried out over a shorter sliding distance under dry conditions and the average wear coefficient of 2 × 10^?7mm³N^?1m^?1 was consistent with earlier findings. In these dry tests, comet-like streaks of polyethylene were transferred to the ceramic counterface, but no such transfer was noted during the wet tests. When distilled water was added to the test chamber after a considerable period of dry sliding, the wear coefficient rapidly decreased to about 10^?8 mm³ N^?1 m^?1 and the streaky transfer film disappeared from the ceramic counterface.The possibility of hydrodynamic action between the wear face on the pins and the counterface was investigated by reversing the direction of sliding. Surface topography changes on both the pins and the discs and friction and bulk temperatures of the pins were recorded throughout the tests.It is concluded that the excellent dry wear coefficients of UHMWPE sliding on alumina ceramic counterfaces are about twenty times greater than those experienced by the same materials in the presence of distilled water. The tribological advantage of the ceramic with respect to stainless steel having a similar surface roughness has been confirmed in dry sliding involving UHMWPE, but further work is required to determine whether or not the same advantage can be achieved under wet conditions.     

Cavitation erosion of aluminum considering bubble collapse,pulse height spectra and cavitation erosion efficiency

Water erosion data on 1100-0 aluminum specimens obtained using a cavitating venturi are compared with bubble collapse pulse height spectra measured using a microtransducer. The data are resolved into erosion power and acoustic power. The former is defined in terms of the power applied to the eroded material to cause the observed pitting and volume loss. The ratio between these power quantities is termed the cavitation erosion efficiency η incav and is found to be essentially constant for the range of tests, being approximately 1.4 × 10^?6. The acoustic power which is easily measured can then be used to estimate the eventual material volume erosion rates, i.e. the mean depth of penetration (MDPR), with much greater accuracy than is otherwise possible. The MDPR is measured directly from the weight loss and is calculated from individual pit counts on damaged surfaces. The effects of the degree of cavitation (the extent of the cavitation cloud or the cavitation number) and the throat velocity on the MDPR is examined. An overall velocity damage exponent of n = 4.75 is found.     

Effect of load and speed on the wear behaviour of woven glass fabrics and aramid fibre-reinforced composites

In the present study, wear behaviour of woven 300 and 500 glass fabrics and aramid fibre-reinforced composite materials are experimentally investigated for 500 and 710 rpm speeds and at two different loads of 500 and 1000 g using a block-on-shaft wear tester. The wear in the experiments was determined as weight loss. The weight losses were measured after different sliding distance conditions. The worn surfaces were also examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM). As a result of this study, it is shown that the applied load on the specimens has more effect on the wear than the speed. Also the weight loss in the woven 500 glass fabric reinforced is more than that in the woven 300 glass fabric-reinforced composite. The weight loss of aramid fibre-reinforced composite is quite low compared with woven glass fabric-reinforced composites.     

Wear of magnetic materials and audio heads sliding against magnetic tapes

The friction and wear of various materials and audio heads sliding against magnetic tapes were studied. Magnetic materials such as Permalloy, Sendust and hot-pressed ferrite (HPF) and some other non-magnetic materials were used as material specimens. Three types of audio heads for cassette tape recorders were used as the head specimens. Their magnetic cores were made from ordinary Permalloy, hard Permalloy and HPF. An experiment using a conical diamond slider was carried out to study the wear resistance of various materials. The specific wear rates of the various material specimens and components of the heads such as the core, shield plate and epoxy resin were measured using the Knoop indentation technique. Wear did not occur uniformly over the surfaces of the Permalloy heads. This irregular wear was examined in detail and its origin is discussed. The specific wear rates of Permalloy and HPF are of the order of 10^?5 mm³ N^?1 m^?1 and 10^?6 mm³ N^?1 m^?1 respectively and that of epoxy resin is of the order of 10^?4 – 10^?5 mm³ N^?1 m^?1. The coefficient of friction of an HPF head is about 0.3, while that of both types of Permalloy head is about 0.7. It is concluded that the mechanism of wear by magnetic tape is not entirely due to the abrasive action of the magnetic powder in the tape but is also partially adhesive in nature.     

The erosion of reaction-bonded SiC

The impact erosion of commercial reaction-bonded SiC by angular Al₂O₃ particles was investigated at room temperature over a range of median particle sizes (23–270 μm), velocities (54–151 m s^?1) and impact angles (10–90°) by weight loss measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The weight loss curves show a transient of increasing rate prior to achieving steady state. Current theories do not predict the result that the steady state erosion rate ΔW is given by ΔW = R^0.7–0.95v^2.0–2.5 where R is the impacting particle radius and v is the velocity. The steady state surface morphology changes from a mesa-like structure, where the mesas are protrusions of large SiC regions surrounded by valleys of a fine-grained intergranular mixed SiC-Si region, to a more uniform structure as the Al₂O₃ particle size increases. This is a geometrical effect reflecting the microstructural scale. The particle size dependence of ΔW does not show a break when the surface morphology undergoes this transition, which suggests that the net erosion rate may be a simple volume average of the component rates. The SEM micrographs and the angular dependence of ΔW suggest that plasticity occurs although the damage is predominantly brittle fracture. The steady state erosion rates for the smallest particles are anomalously low, which may be attributed to either threshold or microstructural effects.     

Comparison of self-mated hardmetal coatings under dry sliding conditions up to 600 °C

Hardmetal coatings prepared by high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) spraying represent an advanced solution for surface protection against wear. In the current systematic study the high-temperature oxidation and unidirectional sliding wear in dry and lubricated conditions were studied. Results for a series of experiments on self-mated pairs in dry conditions as part of that work are described in this paper. Coatings with nominal compositions WC-10%Co4%Cr, WC-(W,Cr)₂C-7%Ni, Cr₃C₂-25%NiCr, (Ti,Mo)(C,N)-29%Ni and (Ti,Mo)(C,N)-29%Co were prepared with an ethylene-fuelled DJH 2700 HVOF spray gun. Electrolytic hard chromium (EHC) coatings and bulk (Ti,Mo)(C,N)-15%NiMo (TM10) hardmetal specimens were studied for comparison. The wear behaviour was investigated at room temperature, 400 and 600 °C. For the coatings sliding speeds were varied in the range 0.1–1 m/s for a wear distance of 5000 m and a normal force of 10 N. In some cases the WC- and (Ti,Mo)(C,N)-based coatings showed total wear rates (sum of wear rates of the rotating and stationary samples) of less than 10^?6 mm³/Nm, i.e., comparable to values typically measured under mixed/boundary conditions. Coefficients of friction above 0.4 were found for all test conditions. The P × V values as an engineering parameter for coating application are discussed. The microstructures and the sliding wear behaviour of the (Ti,Mo)(C,N)-based coatings and the (Ti,Mo)(C,N)-15%NiMo hardmetal are compared.     

Dry sliding wear behaviour of PTFE filled with glass and bronze particles

Abstract

The wear behaviour of polytetrafluroethylene (PTFE) filled with 25% glass and 40% bronze particles was studied on a pin on disc test rig. Solid lubricant composite materials were prepared by compression moulding technique. The wear parameters considered for the study were applied load, sliding speed and sliding distance. The experimental results indicate that the weight loss increases with increasing load, sliding speed and sliding distance, as expected. Sliding distance has more effect on weight loss followed by applied load. The 40% bronze+PTFE composite exhibits better wear resistance compared to other types. The dominant interactive wear mechanisms during sliding of PTFE and its composites are discussed in this paper.     

Traction and wear of an elastomer in combined rolling and sliding

Under combined rolling and sliding materials can experience millions of cycles as well as complex loading and slip conditions, which can dramatically affect their friction and wear behaviour. It was shown that for a carbon black‐filled natural rubber compound in combined rolling and sliding contact with a smooth alumina coated disk, the traction coefficient, as a function of slip percent, was dependent upon the normal load and independent of rolling velocity. The wear rate of this material pair was found to be independent of slip percentage as well as rolling velocity but dependent upon sliding distance. The wear rate was found to be approximately the same for all tested cases (K ~ 1 × 10⁻⁴ mm³·Nm⁻¹). The worn profiles of the ball specimens showed that this wear occurred preferentially on the left side (inner radius) of the contacting area. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Inertial vibratory rotor drives in machines for grinding fibrous materials

The effectiveness of inertial vibratory rotor drives in machines for grinding fibrous materials is established.     

Study on tribological properties of UHMWPE irradiated by electron beam with TMPTMA and TPGDA as crosslinking agents

Trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TMPTMA) and tripropylene glycol diacrylate (TPGDA) used as crosslinking agents were blended with ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE or UPE) in alcohol, respectively. Then UPE plates were made by compression molding and electron beam (EB) irradiation crosslinking methods. FTIR, Soxhlet extractor, DSC, Wear tester and SEM were used for the characterization of all specimens. FTIR analyses show that trans-vinylene (965 cm^?1) absorption increases in all specimens and the >C=C< stretching absorption decreases after irradiation. Soxhlet experiments reveal that gel fraction increases with the increasing dose. DSC results indicate that X_c of all the irradiated UPEs are higher than that of unirradiated UPEs because of the free radical and small molecular which can promote the crystallization. Wear rate of 100 kGy 1%TMPTMA/UPE and 1%TPGDA/UPE are 1.89×10^?7 mm³/(N m) and 4.28×10^?7 mm³/(N m), about 44.2% and 100% of that of 100 kGy UPE, respectively, illustrating that TMPTMA is beneficial to reduce the wear rate of UPE and TPGDA almost has no effect to reduce the wear rate of UPE before 100 kGy. SEMs of irradiated specimens are more smooth than that of unirradiated specimens. These can give some advice to improve tribological properties of UPE used in the friction field.     

Comportement sous ultra-vide de matériaux auto-lubrifiants chargés en fluorure de graphite (The ultra-high-vacuum behaviour of graphite fluoride filled self-lubricating materials)

Self-lubricating materials were obtained when graphite fluoride, (CF_x)_n, was introduced into a polyimide matrix. Tests have been undertaken to evaluate the wear rate and coefficient of friction of these materials using stainless steel as a counterface, with medium loads of 1–10 N and speeds of 0.4 and 0.8 m s^?1. In ambient air, the specific wear rate was found to be very low being about 0.7 × 10^?7 mm³ N^?1 m^?1, and in ultra-high vacuum (10^?8–10^?9 Torr) the wear rate still remained low. Thus materials containing (CF_x)_n appear to behave quite differently in vacuum in comparison to graphite powder or carbon fibre-filled polymers, for which specific wear rates 100 and 400 times greater, respectively, have been observed.     

Correlation of wear with oxidation of carbon-carbon composites

The wear characteristics of carbon-carbon composites for aircraft brake materials were investigated using an inertial dynamometer. Wear rates were measured in terms of weight loss and thickness reduction.The wear rates in terms of weight loss are always greater than those in terms of thickness reduction over a wide range of braking conditions. This difference agrees with previous work carried out under a normal braking condition and, as before, is attributed to the oxidation of carbon beneath the porous friction surfaces. Good agreement was obtained between the activation energies for the oxidation of carbon (29 kcal mol^?1) and for material loss on non-friction surfaces (27 kcal mol^?1). Such good agreement suggests that the rate-controlling step for oxidative weight loss is the diffusion of oxygen through pores.     

Friction of some commercial polymer-based bearing materials against steel

Cylindrical test pins of some commercial polymer-based bearing materials (comprising two nylons 6, a filled nylon 6/6, a filled ultra-high molecular weight polyethene (uhmwpe) and three polyurethanes) were rotated, in dry conditions and at constant load and sliding speed, on circular tracks on stationary discs of steel gauze and abrasive paper.Wear against run-in steel gauze was proportional to the sliding time (distance), with the specific wear rate, v_sp, (wear volume per unit area per unit sliding distance) varying with the nominal pressure, p, according to v_sp = Kp^α. Values of K and α are presented enabling comparison of the fatigue wear of the materials at various loads against steel (or a counterface with rounded asperities) in non-transfer film conditions. Nylon 6 showed the least wear and the polyurethanes showed the greatest wear, up to pressures of 3.43 MN m⁻² (500 lbf in⁻²).With abrasive paper, the circular path became progressively clogged with transfer films and wear debris, and the wear volume, ΔW, diminished with time, t, throughout the test duration, following the relationship ΔW = Dt^c, where both c and D are functions of the wear path diameter. c appears to be related to the film transfer capability of the polymer. The best overall abrasive wear resistance (in transfer film conditions) was exhibited by the filled uhmwpe, followed by two polyurethanes. Nylon 6 showed relatively poor abrasion resistance under these conditions. The mechanical properties indicate, with one exception, a similar ranking order for non-transfer film conditions