Effect of mechanical surface and heat treatments on erosion resistance

The effects of mechanical surface treatments as well as heat treatments on the erosion resistance of 6061 aluminum alloy and 1045 steel were studied. Mechanical surface treatments were found to have little or no effect on the erosion resistance. This is due to the formation by particle impact of a work hardened surface layer regardless of the initial surface condition. The erosion resistance of Al single crystals is found to be independent of orientation. This is due to destruction of the surface microstructure and formation of a polycrystalline surface layer by the impact of erodant particles as observed by X-ray diffraction. While upon solution treatment of annealed 6061 aluminum the increase in hardness is accompanied by an increase in erosion resistance, precipitation treatment which causes a further increase in hardness results in slightly lower erosion resistance. Using two types of erodant particles, glass beads and crushed glass, the erosion rate is found to be strongly dependent on erodant particle shape, being an order of magnitude higher for erosion with crushed glass as compared to glass beads. While for erosion with glass beads heat treatment of 1045 steel had a profound effect on its erosion resistance, little or no such effect was observed for erosion with crushed glass.