Numerical and experimental investigation of the erosion of zirconia particulate-reinforced epoxy matrix composites by angular silicon carbide particles

An smooth particle hydrodynamics/finite element (SPH/FEM) model was developed to simulate the erosion of zirconia particle-reinforced epoxy composites, due to the overlapping impacts of angular particles at both perpendicular and oblique incidences. For each composite target, multiple sub-volumes, each having their own random reinforcement distribution, were modeled. The reinforcements were assumed as noneroding and nondeforming and were distributed in the modeled sub-volumes according to the random distributions measured in the actual samples. Erosion tests were performed to verify the numerical model, and it was found that the erosion rates of the zirconia-reinforced composites were in all cases significantly lower than the neat epoxy. The experimentally-observed erosion mechanisms were successfully simulated by the model, and the predicted erosion rates matched the measured ones to within 2% to 11%. It is anticipated that similar models can be used to predict erosion of other particulate composite systems whose reinforcement erosion and fracture is negligible compared to the matrix erosion.

Automated summary

An SPH/FEM model was developed to simulate the erosion of zirconia particle-reinforced epoxy composites, and erosion tests were performed to verify the model, showing significantly lower erosion rates for zirconia-reinforced composites compared to neat epoxy. The experimentally-observed erosion mechanisms were successfully simulated by the model, with predicted erosion rates matching measured values with an error range of 2% to 11%.