Erosion wear is a primary factor in material failure and is widely observed in hydropower, petroleum, aerospace, and other industrial fields. It is evident from the findings of numerous research studies that both the characteristics of particles and the fluid dynamic parameters are significantly associated with the occurrence of erosion damage. However, there has been a paucity of research into the correlation between the mechanical properties of materials and their erosion wear behaviour. This review methodically summarises the latest understanding of erosion wear mechanisms and influencing factors, with a specific focus on how the mechanical properties of materials regulate erosion processes. Furthermore, it provides a concise overview of erosion mechanisms and fluid dynamic factors, while undertaking a critical evaluation of the discrepancies observed among various erosion wear rate prediction models. The overarching objective of this research is to enhance mechanistic comprehension, facilitate the integration of prediction models with material property databases, and furnish a theoretical foundation for the design of erosion-resistant materials and the development of industrial protection strategies.

This study investigates the influence of the depth of lattice-array micro-pillar surface microstructures on the cavitation erosion (CE) of nickel-aluminum bronze (NAB) in a saline solution using both experimental and simulation methods. Mass-loss measurements, electrochemical tests, and morphological characterizations (SEM, white-light interferometry, EBSD) were conducted to clarify the erosion, corrosion, and synergistic components. Pressure distribution, vapor volume fraction, and bubble dynamics were revealed by numerical simulation in the cavitation region. Results show that shallow microstructures (0.02 and 0.07 mm depths) significantly reduce the CE by up to 74% compared to the smooth surface. This structure can form a shielding field and suppress the mechanical erosion component. In contrast, deep microstructures (0.18 and 0.22 mm depths) aggravate CE, which is attributed to increased bubble nucleation and localized vapor content, and intensified pressure difference. The pure erosion component dominates the damage, followed by synergistic action, and the pure corrosion component is the least. This trend is independent of the change in the microstructure. These findings extend the knowledge on how to design the microstructure depth to alleviate CE.