Experimental study on solid particle erosion of protective aircraft coatings at different impact angles

Abstract The presence of minute particles suspended in the air poses a significant threat to aircraft and wind turbine, subjecting them to solid particle impact and wear. This exposure can culminate in the delamination and failure of protective structural coatings, impeding the longevity and efficacy of these structures. To delve into the intricate behavior of solid particle erosion on aircraft skin coatings, unravel their underlying damage mechanisms, and establish a definitive criterion for assessing coating erosion damage, we employed carbon fiber T300 as the substrate, and applied three distinct coatings. We present the solid particle erosion resistance exhibited by specimens with three distinct polyurethane coatings. The study conducted erosion resistance tests at two impact angles of 30° and 90°, with impact speed at 30–40 m·s −1 . The results show that at higher impact angle, the coating experiences complete damage in a shorter amount of time. As the impact angle decreases, the solid particle erosion resistance of the coating increases. At 90° impact angle, the primary damage mechanism is the deformation of the coating surface upon impact, leading to the formation of impact pits. At 30° impact angle, the main damage mechanism is the creation of wear and plowing grooves by solid particles during lateral cutting.