Erosive wear behavior of various polyamides

A series of polyamides (PAs), namely, PA 6, PA 66, PA 66/610, PA 11, PA 12 and aromatic PA (brittle, hard and amorphous) was selected for investigating the effect of chemical structure and hence, mechanical properties on erosive wear behavior by impinging silica sand particles of 90-180 mum size at various angles and dozes. The results indicated that five polyamides including brittle PA showed maximum in wear versus impact angle relation at 30 degrees confirming their ductile failure behavior. For two PAs, however, wear was maximum at 15 degrees. Good correlation was observed in erosion rate and brittleness index of polyamides at incidence angles of 90 and 60 degrees. Worn surface analysis was done using scanning electron microscopy to investigate wear mechanisms. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.