Impact Angle-Velocity Interactions Governing Solid-Particle Erosion in Laser Powder Bed Fused AlSi10Mg

This study investigates the erosive wear behavior of laser powder bed fused (LPBF) AlSi10Mg alloy samples subjected to different heat treatments, including T5 (direct aging), T6, SR (stress relieving), and as-built (AB) conditions. The erosion study was carried out under different impact angles (30, 60, and 90°) and different impact velocities (30, 70, and 90 m/s). The erosive wear is severe at 30° impact angle, indicating that the ductile mode is prominent. The wear rate increases for all materials as the impact velocity increases from 30 to 90 m/s. The T5 heat-treated sample consistently exhibits the lowest erosive wear rate. In contrast, the T6 heat-treated and as-built (AB) samples display higher susceptibility to erosion, influenced by their properties. SEM analysis highlights distinct surface features across the samples; T5 samples show deep grooves and material smearing, indicating effective absorption of impact energy at 90° impact angle, while T6 and AB samples exhibit evidence of brittle fracturing, such as fragmented particles and debris. The critical findings from the study highlight that microstructural stability is also a key factor in erosion behavior alongside hardness, emphasizing the importance of heat treatment in optimizing wear resistance for high-impact applications.