SCANNING-ELECTRON-MICROSCOPE STUDY OF NORMAL-IMPINGEMENT EROSION OF DUCTILE METALS

摘要

Scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the erosion of annealed copper and aluminum surfaces produced by both single- and multiple-particle impacts. Macroscopic 3.2-mm-diameter steel balls and microscopic, brittle erodant particles were projected by a gas gun system so as to impact at normal incidence at speeds up to 140 m/sec. During the im¬pacts by the brittle erodant particles, at lower speeds the erosion behavior was similar to that observed for the larger steel balls. At higher velocities, particle fragmentation and the subse¬quent cutting by the radial wash of debris created a marked change in the erosion mechanism.