Effects of hard chromium plating on cavitation erosion

Abstract The cavitation erosion of hard chromium plating on steel was studied by vibratory erosion tests. The mass loss as a function of the exposure time curves is divided into three stages: the first stage involves erosion of the chromium itself; the base metal below the interface begins to be damaged in the second stage; the third stage occurs when large particles of the plating layer are removed. Mass loss rates in each stage are greater in a 3 wt.% NaCl solution than in ion-exchanged water because of intercrystalline fracture. The damage in each stage is also affected by the plating thickness. The plating life increases with plating thickness in ion-exchanged water. In 3 wt.% NaCl solution, however, the life is lower and does not increase with platings more than about 65μm thick.