Quasi-ductile Behavior Research Articles

Erosive wear of composite materials

The erosive wear behavior of selected polymer matrix composite materials was investigated using an erosion wear tester. Scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the eroded surface. The results show that the erosive wear rates in these materials are at least an order of magnitude greater than that of low carbon steel. Of the composites tested, continuous graphite fiber-epoxy composites showed erosive wear that is typical of brittle materials (maximum wear rate when the impingement is normal to the surface), while continuous aramid fiber-epoxy and chopped graphite fiber-polyphenylene sulfide showed quasi-ductile behavior (maximum wear rate at 25°–45° impingement angle). These results are discussed in terms of the observed failure modes.