Erosive Wear Performance Analysis of Jute-Epoxy-SiC Hybrid Composites

The present article reports the solid particle erosion response of a new class of multi-component composite system consisting of epoxy resin reinforced with jute-fiber and SiC particles derived from a bio-resource like rice husk. Erosion trials are carried out at various test conditions. For this, an air jet type erosion test rig and Taguchi's orthogonal arrays are used. Significant control factors influencing the erosion wear rate are identified. This article also presents the development of a theoretical model for estimating erosion damage caused by solid particle impact on the composites. The model is based upon conservation of particle kinetic energy and relates the erosion rate with some of the material properties and test conditions. The theoretical results are compared and are found to be in good agreement with the experimental values.