Cavitation erosion mechanisms in Co-based coatings exposed to seawater

Comparative analysis of cavitation erosion behavior in wire-arc directed energy deposition and cast nickel-aluminum bronze alloys

In this study, the cavitation erosion (CE) behavior of wire-arc directed energy deposition (DED) nickel-aluminum bronze (NAB) alloys is compared with that of cast alloys, and the synergistic effect between corrosion and CE is investigated. The CE resistance of the wire-arc DED NAB alloy is better than that of the cast alloys. The CE of NAB alloys preferentially occurs at the boundaries of the α-Cu and residual β phases, and in the matrix around the κ phase. The residual β phase exhibits greater damage than the α-Cu phase. Throughout the CE, the alloys are dominated by local corrosion characteristics (selective-phase corrosion), while the wire-arc DED NAB alloys exhibit superior uniform corrosion characteristics. Notably, the uniform corrosion characteristics of all alloys are enhanced after CE. The mass loss caused by the synergistic effect of the cast NAB alloy and wire arc DED NAB alloy accounts for 56% and 52% of the total mass loss, with the corrosion-induced CE increment exceeding that of the CE-induced corrosion increment.

Dual effects of ultrasound on fabrication of anodic aluminum oxide

Ultrasound has been proven to enhance the mass transfer process and impact the fabrication of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO). However, the different effects of ultrasound propagating in different media make the specific target and process of ultrasound in AAO remain unclear, and the effects of ultrasound on AAO reported in previous studies are contradictory. These uncertainties have greatly limited the application of ultrasonic-assisted anodization (UAA) in practice. In this study, the bubble desorption and mass transfer enhancement effects were decoupled based on an anodizing system with focused ultrasound, such that the dual effects of ultrasound on different targets were distinguished. The results showed that ultrasound has the dual effects on AAO fabrication. Specifically, ultrasound focused on the anode has a nanopore-expansion effect on AAO, leading to a 12.24 % improvement in fabrication efficiency. This was attributed to the promotion of interfacial ion migration through ultrasonic-induced high-frequency vibrational bubble desorption. However, AAO nanopores were observed to shrink when ultrasound was focused on the electrolyte, accompanied by a 25.85 % reduction in fabrication efficiency. The effects of ultrasound on mass transfer through jet cavitation appeared to be the reason for this phenomenon. This study resolved the paradoxical phenomena of UAA in previous studies and is expected to guide AAO application in electrochemistry and surface treatments.

Design of High-Entropy Alloy Coating for Cavitation Erosion Resistance by Different Energy-Induced Dynamic Cyclic Behaviors

The dispute over the effect of cavitation heat on material surface intensifies the fuzziness of cavitation erosion (CE) mechanism and limits the development of protective materials. Here, an anti-CE Al₁₀Cr₂₈Co₂₈Ni₃₄ high-entropy alloy (HEA) coating with single face-centered cubic (FCC), prepared by high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) spraying technologies, was designed by inducing mechanical and thermal energy-induced behaviors to transform or counteract each other. The results showed that, on the one hand, this coating underwent the refinement of the average grain size from 1.22 to 1.02 μm, the increase in dislocation density from 1.28 × 10^-10 to 1.83 × 10^-10 m^-2, and the martensitic transformation from FCC to body-centered cubic (BCC) under the cavitation load; on the other hand, cavitation heat could indeed induce grain growth and realize structural relaxation, which confirmed that cavitation heat acting on the material surface at temperatures theoretically above 1206.28 K also played a significant role in the CE mechanism. That is, the surface microstructure of this coating was always in a dynamic cycle during the CE process. Therefore, the coating achieved the simultaneous absorption of mechanical impact energy and thermal energy released by the bubble collapse while effectively avoiding the overenrichment of crystal defects and finally exhibited a CE resistance 2 times better than that of the classical AlCrCoFeNi HEA coating. This design concept of inducing different energy restraints or neutralization through the special response behaviors of surface microstructure provides a completely new way for the development of CE-resistant materials.

A Study on the Preparation and Cavitation Erosion Mechanism of Polyether Polyurethane Coating

Polyurethane elastomers are anticipated to be applied in the field of cavitation erosion (CE) resistance, but their protection and damage mechanisms are not clear, which greatly restricts their further development. In this article, five polyether polyurethanes (PU_x) with different crosslinking densities were prepared. Their mechanical properties, thermal properties, water absorption, surface morphology and chemical structure before and after CE tests were compared with ESEM, OM, TG-DSC, FTIR and XPS in detail. The results showed that with an increase in crosslinking density, the tensile strength of PU_x increased first and then decreased, elongation at break and water absorption reduced gradually and thermal decomposition temperature and adhesion strength increased steadily. During the CE process, cavitation load aggravated the degree of microphase separation and made brittle hard segments concentrate on the coating surface; meanwhile, cavitation heat accelerated hydrolysis, pyrolysis, oxidation and the fracture of molecular chains. As a result, the mechano-thermal coupling intensified the formation and propagation of fatigue cracks, which should be the fundamental reason for the CE damage of polyurethane elastomer. PU_0.4 exhibited the best CE resistance among the five coatings thanks to its good comprehensive properties and may find potential applications on the surface of hydraulic components.

Classification of regimes determining ultrasonic cavitation erosion in solid particle suspensions

Although the factors that influence ultrasonic cavitation erosion in solid particle suspensions have been extensively studied, the role that solid particles play in the cavitation process remains poorly understood. The ultrasonic cavitation erosion of AISI 1045 carbon steel was studied in the presence of monodisperse silica particles (10-100 μm, 0.5-20 vol%) suspended in transformer oil. Based on our results, we propose an overview of the possible influencing mechanisms of particle addition for specific particle sizes and concentrations. Four major regimes, namely a viscosity-enhancing regime (V), a particle-impinging regime (I), a particle-shielding regime (S), and a nuclei-adding regime (A) are identified, and their dependence on suspended particle characteristics is analyzed. The VISA regimes, in essence, reflect the viscous and inertial effects of suspended particles, and the way in which particle-particle interactions and heterogeneous nucleation affect erosion. This regime-based framework provides a better understanding of the dominant factors controlling the erosive wear caused by cavitation in the presence of solid particles, and provides a guide for erosion prediction and prevention.