Liquid impact erosion of single-crystal magnesium oxide

The erosion of single-crystal magnesium oxide (MgO) by liquid impact is inv estigated using controlled liquid jet impacts produced by the Cavendish Lab oratory's multiple impact jet apparatus (MIJA). The paper discusses the the oretical modelling of damage threshold curves which allows the investigatio n of the effect of changes in the damage threshold velocity (DTV) by changi ng material parameters such as flaw size, fracture stress, and fracture tou ghness. A model simulating the properties of single-crystal MgO is compared with experimental data using MIJA An attraction of using single-crystal Mg O is that its cleavage and slip planes are well characterised and dislocati on etching techniques are established. The early stages of deformation and fracture above the DTV are described, Comparison is made with erosion data of other infra-red transmitting materials. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. A ll rights reserved.