Outstanding cavitation erosion resistance of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) coatings

Tiana Deplancke (1) , O. Lame (1) , Jean-Yves Cavaillé (1) , Marc C. Fivel (2) , Michel Riondet (3) , Jean-Pierre Franc (3)

1 MATEIS - Matériaux, ingénierie et science [Villeurbanne]
2 SIMaP - Science et Ingénierie des Matériaux et Procédés
3 LEGI - Laboratoire des Écoulements Géophysiques et Industriels [Grenoble]

The resistance to cavitation erosion of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) coatings with two molecular weight 0.6 and 10.5 Mg/mol was tested in a hydrodynamic tunnel during 98 h at a flow velocity of about 90 m/s. This polymer is known to have an excellent wear resistance. These materials were processed by sintering on a metallic substrate textured by electron beam melting to ensure mechanical interlocking. UHMWPE with molecular weight 10.5 Mg/mol has an exceptional resistance to cavitation erosion superior to that of stainless steel A2205 whereas UHMWPE with molecular weight 0.6 Mg/mol has a resistance to cavitation erosion similar to that of a conventional Nickel Aluminum Bronze alloy (in term of erosion depth). Two possible explanations are put forward for the good cavitation resistance of UHMWPE with highest molecular weight: the tensile test in semi-crystalline state shows no strain localization and, above melting temperature, the disentanglement of UHMWPE with molecular weight 10.5 Mg/mol is very slow unlike the UHMWPE with molecular weight 0.6 Mg/mol which tends to flow.

Domaines: Mécanique des fluides [physics.class-ph]

Tiana Deplancke, O. Lame, Jean-Yves Cavaillé, Marc C. Fivel, Michel Riondet, et al.. Outstanding cavitation erosion resistance of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) coatings. Wear, 2015, 328-329, pp.301-308. ⟨10.1016/j.wear.2015.01.077⟩. ⟨hal-01133748⟩