Formation and development of damage of basalt under the effect of cavitation

Abstract

The paper examines the cavitation resistance of the cast basalt samples. Samples were obtained by melting, casting and thermal treatment of crushed basalt rocks from the Vrelo Kopaonik deposit. The experiment was conducted using an ultrasonic vibration method with a stationary sample according to the ASTM G-32 standard. To estimation the cavitation resistance, a change in the mass of the samples in the function of the cavitation time has been observed. The formation and development of damage under the effect of cavitation was monitored by an electron microscope, and the level of degradation of the sample surface was quantified using the image analysis. The results showed a high degree of cavitation resistance of cast basalt samples, with a cavitation rate of 0.0294 mg/min. This indicates the possibility of their application for the production of particular structural parts of equipment for use in metallurgy, as a substitute for metallic materials.