SOLID PARTICLE EROSION OF IR-TRANSMITTING MATERIALS AND DIAMOND COMPOSITES

A solid particle erosion facility has been used to study the erosion o f two groups of materials. The first contains IR-transmitting solids w hich have potential application as IR ''windows'' and include zinc sul phide, germanium, calcium lanthanum sulphide, diamond (both natural an d free-standing chemically vapour deposited (CVD) diamond), and CVD co ated substrates. The second contains highly erosion resistant composit es such as polycrystalline diamond (PCDs). The sections on the erosion of diamond in its various forms review results produced in the labora tory over recent years. The paper concentrates on providing quantitati ve data on erosion rates and the processes of material loss.