Erosive wear of borosilicate glass by low velocity unidirectional impact of abrasive spheres

The erosive wear of borosilicate glass edges by the unidirectional low velocity impacts of abrasive balls was investigated. Glass edges were chamfered with included angles of 120° and 135° to eliminate macro-scale edge chipping, and as a result wear appeared as a narrow band along the edge. The rate of wear decreased during an initial transition stage to a steady-state wear rate. Fundamental differences were observed between edge wear by abrasive and smooth spherical media. An earlier numerical model was adapted to predict the evolution of the edge profile by applying random indentations to the edge, evaluating the possibility of chip formation, and modifying the edge profile accordingly. The predictions of the model compared quite well with the experimentally measured amounts of wear of 120° and 135° edges at normal impact velocities and impacts directed outward from the edge.

Research highlights
► Wear appeared only on the edges, and flat surfaces remained intact.
► The rate of wear decreased during an initial transition stage to a steady-state wear rate.
► The mechanism of wear was fundamentally affected by the media abrasiveness.
► Wear was a micro-scale edge chipping process.