THE ROLE OF PARTICLE PROPERTIES IN THE EROSION OF BRITTLE MATERIALS

The erosion of a range of brittle materials (soda-lime glass, borosili cate glass, fused silica, boron carbide, partially stabilized zirconia , alumina and silicon carbide) with number of different erodent partic le types (silicon, silica, alumina and silicon carbide) has been exami ned. The mechanisms of erosion depend upon the ratio of particle to ta rget hardness. As this ratio falls towards unity, less damaging mechan isms of erosion dominate. Indentation-induced fracture models for eros ion of brittle materials are not valid when this mechanism ceases to o perate. The erosion rates decrease rapidly, and the velocity exponents of erosion rate increase, as the ratio of particle to target hardness decreases towards unity. The consequences of this in accelerated eros ion testing are addressed.