Erosion-corrosion and wear

Abstract
The basic processes of wear, erosion and erosion-corrosion are reviewed. It is shown that oxide debris can accelerate wear when it is present as particulates, or protect and reduce friction when it is present as a glaze. Erosion-corrosion processes can be understood and organized in a series of regimes that represent a sequence of change in the relative intensities of erosive and corrosive processes. Types of mechanism expected to feature in oxide spallation and in the erosion-corrosion of alloys are described and, finally, the areas that require serious study in order to achieve further understanding of this subject are indicated.