The Mechanisms of Cavitation Erosion of Raw and Sintered Basalt

The paper analyzes the morphology of cavitation damage of raw and sintered basalt samples. The experiment was conducted using the ultrasonic vibratory cavitation test method according to the ASTM G-32 standard. During the determination of the resistance to the effect of cavitation, a change in the mass of samples was observed in the function of the cavitation time of operation. The morphology of damage caused by the effect of cavitation was followed by scanning with an electron microscope, and the level of degradation of the surface of the samples was quantified using the image analysis. The results showed a significantly higher degree of resistance of sintered basalt, with a cavitation rate of 0.019 mg min-1 relative to raw basalt, with a cavitation rate of 0.738 mg min-1. After 120 minutes of exposure to the cavitation effect, a smaller number of small pits on the surface of sintered basalt were observed, while a higher level of damage to the surface with the appearance of numerous pits was found in raw basalt, which can be connected in some places to larger and deeper pits in some places. The obtained results indicate the possibility of using sintered basalt for the production of parts that will be exposed to the effects of high cavitation loads.