Effect of Nanoclay Addition on the Erosion Wear of Glass/vinylester Composites Using Taguchi's Orthogonal Array Technique

Nanoclay dispersed polymer composites possess high specific stiffness and strength measured in-plane. Such composites can withstand out-of plane low-energy impacts, wear, abrasion and erosion. This paper reports the effect of nanoclay addition on particle impact erosion behaviour of glass / vinylester composites using Taguchi's Orthogonal Array technique. Erosion tests were conducted using silica sand particles of size 177 to 595 μm. The results showed that addition of nanoclay up to 3 wt. % reduced the erosion rate of the composites. Impingement angle, particle size, stand- off-distance and velocity of impact showed decreasing order of significance and the erosion was in the range 292.5 to442.5 mg/kg. Morphology of the eroded surface was examined using Scanning Electron Microscopy. Erosion rate was maximum at normal impact angles with crater formation.