Abrasive erosion of polyurethane

The surface physical and chemical effects of abrasive erosion of polyuretha ne in three different fluids (H2O, polyacrylamide and NaOH) containing quar tz particles have been investigated respectively. The surface profiles, ele ments constitutions, binding energies and functional groups of polyurethane surfaces before and after abrasive eroding have been analyzed with scannin g electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fou rier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR). The surface physical effects of the abrasive erosion process were found to be microcutting, high-cycle f atigue and plastic fracture. The surface chemical effects turned out to be mechanical rupture of macromolecular chains, thermal decomposition of the a llophanate groups and the biuret groups, hydrolysis of carbamate groups, an d surface oxidative degradation. (C) 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers.