EFFECT OF PARTICLE-SHAPE ON THE EROSION OF CU AND ITS ALLOYS

The main objective of the present work is to evaluate the effect of stacking fault energy (SFE) on the erosion rate of Cu and Cu-base alloys using angular particles as erodents and to compare the above behaviour with that obtained in an earlier study using spherical particles as erodents. Towards the above purpose the erosion rates of Cu, Cu-5.3Al and Cu-20Zn were determined at two different impact angles (90-degrees and 30-degrees), at two different impact velocities and using angular SiC and SiO2 particles as erodents. The results indicate that the erosion rate of Cu and its alloys decreases with increased SFE and further increases with decreasing impact angle indicative of a ductile response. This is in contrast to the erosion behaviour of Cu and its alloys, with spherical steel shots as erodents, wherein the erosion rate increased with an increase in SFE and also exhibited a maximum at normal impact angle. This contrasting erosion behaviour has been attributed to the higher strain rate and hence reduced dynamic recovery with angular particles when compared with spherical particles.