EROSION AND EROSION-CORROSION OF METALS

The loss of material from the surface of a metal being impacted by sma ll, solid particles carried in a flowing gas occurs by a sequence of m echanical actions. The present work, which was presented as the plenar y lecture at CORROSION/95, describes the mechanisms that occur on duct ile and brittle materials and relates these mechanisms to surface loss rates. The ability of these mechanisms to be represented by mathemati cal models is assessed. The effects of material properties on erosion behavior is discussed. Combined erosion-corrosion surface degradation mechanisms are explained.