Solid particle erosion of Ni-Cr/WC metal matrix composites at elevated temperatures: construction of erosion mechanism and process control maps

The object of this study was to generate erosion maps for various particulate reinforced Ni-Cr/WC metal matrix composites by investigating the effect of erodent velocity with low velocity conditions, at elevated temperatures. The erodent used was alumina and the environment was oxidizing. The results showed that the ranking order of erosion resistance, as a function of volume fraction, reversed as the velocity increased. A similar effect was observed as the temperature increased. It is shown how erosion mechanism and materials performance maps, showing the erosion regime and magnitude of the wastage rate, can be constructed from the results in the study.