Effect of Process Parameters on the Solid Particle Erosion Resistance of Transparent Materials

The solid particle erosion (SPE) performance of three different transparent materials, polycarbonate solid sheet, plexiglass (Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and laminated glass was investigated. Erosion tests were performed under different impact angles (20°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90°) and impinging velocities (75, 150, and 200 m/s). As erodent particles, alumina (Al2O3) with 52 µm average diameter and silicon carbide (SiC), particles with two different dimensions (71, and 348 µm in diameters) were used. The results showed that polycarbonate specimens outperformed the other tested samples regardless of impact velocity and impinging angle conditions. When the erosion resistance of samples at 90° and 75 m/s is taken into consideration, the polycarbonate sheet was found to be at least 14 times more erosion resistant compared to plexiglass, and 23 times more resistant than the laminated glass materials. In addition, polycarbonate exhibited an incubation behavior at lower impact velocity, and with SiC erodent.