Solid Particle Erosive Wear Behavior of Glass Mat Reinforced PPS Composites: Influence of Erodent Particle Size, Pressure, Particle Impingement Angle, and Velocity

This study investigates solid particle erosive wear behavior of glass mat reinforced polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) matrix composites under various test parameters. PPS composite was manufactured by using the compression-molding process. Composite samples were eroded in a specially designed sandblasting system employing various parameters, and variation of the erosion rate was investigated. Samples were eroded at different erosion times, particle impingement angles, and under various pressures by using three different sizes of alumina particles. Impingement velocities of erodent particles were measured by using the double disk method. The results are also discussed regarding impingement velocity of the erodent particles. Glass mat reinforced PPS composites exhibited semiductile erosion behavior by showing a maximum erosion rate at 30 degrees and 45 degrees impingement angles. The erosion rate of the composite was increased with augmentation in erosion time, velocity, pressure, and particle size. Maximum erosion was observed when the composite was eroded after 10 s at 45 degrees impingement angle under 4 bar pressure by using 60 mesh size erodent particles. The morphology of eroded surfaces was examined by using a scanning electron microscope, and possible wear mechanisms were discussed. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 32: E386E398, 2013; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/adv.21286