Experimental study on slurry erosion wear behaviour of 2205 duplex stainless steel through integrated Taguchi approach and artificial neural network

Slurry erosion due to particle entrainment poses a significant threat to slurry handling components, leading to reduced performance and shorter service life. The ferritic-austenitic microstructure of 2205 duplex stainless steel (DSS) offers resistance to erosion and corrosion in harsh environments. This study investigated the slurry erosion wear response of 2205 DSS, focusing on parameters, such as: angle of impingement, impact velocity, slurry concentration, erodent size, and stand-off distance. A Taguchi experimental design approach, along with analysis of variance (ANOVA), was employed to design the experiments and identify the most significant factors. ANOVA results revealed that impact velocity and slurry concentration were the most influential parameters affecting mass loss, while erodent size and impact velocity significantly influenced surface roughness. Additionally, an artificial neural network model was used to estimate output responses, and the model's predictions were compared with experimental results. The surface and sub-surface characteristics of the eroded samples were analysed using X-ray diffraction, microhardness testing, and optical profilometry. The material removal mechanisms were studied using scanning electron microscopy, revealing ductile erosion behaviour in 2205 DSS. Micro-cutting, ploughing, lip formation, and indentation were identified as the primary methods of material removal in 2205 DSS.