Aerospace Erosion Testing for Coatings, Materials and Components

SurfLabX provides aerospace erosion testing for coatings, materials, leading edges and exposed components.

We test how surfaces degrade under rain erosion, sand erosion, solid particle erosion and liquid impingement conditions, helping engineering teams compare coating concepts, evaluate material durability and understand failure mechanisms before qualification or field exposure.

Why Durability Matters

Coatings are continuously exposed to environmental stress during operation.

Erosion caused by rain droplets, sand, and particles can lead to:

  • material loss
  • changes in surface roughness
  • degradation of functional properties (e.g. hydrophobicity)
  • reduced aerodynamic or optical performance

Understanding how coatings degrade is essential for selecting robust materials and optimizing designs for long-term performance.

Rain Erosion Testing

Rain erosion testing evaluates coating performance under high-speed droplet impact.

Samples with typical sizes of approximately 150 × 80 mm can be tested. Due to the localized nature of droplet impact, multiple test conditions can be applied on a single sample.

This enables:

  • testing of multiple impact velocities on one sample
  • variation of droplet impact counts
  • direct comparison of different parameter combinations

Each impact location represents a controlled test condition, allowing efficient mapping of coating performance across a defined parameter space.

Evaluation Approach

Depending on the objective, testing can focus on:

  • Threshold behavior (e.g. failure vs. no failure)
  • Progressive degradation with increasing number of impacts
  • Comparative performance between coatings

Read more about the rain erosion testing facility here.

Sand Erosion and Solid Particle Erosion Testing

Sand erosion testing evaluates coating durability under solid particle impact.

Samples with typical dimensions of approximately 50 × 50 mm are exposed to a controlled particle flow under defined conditions.

Testing is performed as a time-resolved series, where the same sample is exposed repeatedly and characterized after each step.

Test Procedure

  • A defined mass of particles is applied at controlled mass flux and exposure time
  • The sample is removed and analyzed
  • The process is repeated to track degradation over time

Read more about the sand erosion testing facility here.

Coating and Surface Durability Testing

SurfLabX does not manufacture coatings. We test coating and surface performance under erosion, particle impact and environmental exposure.

Our testing helps coating developers, material suppliers and aerospace engineering teams compare candidate coatings, evaluate erosion resistance, assess changes in hydrophobicity or surface function, and identify degradation mechanisms before larger qualification campaigns.

Standards-Oriented Erosion Test Support

Where relevant, test planning can be aligned with standards or standard-inspired procedures such as ASTM G76 solid particle erosion testing, ASTM G73 liquid impingement erosion testing, ASTM G65 abrasion testing, DO-160 environmental testing, MIL-STD-810 environmental testing and customer-specific aerospace qualification requirements.

SurfLabX supports pre-qualification, development testing and comparative screening. Formal certification requirements should be confirmed with the responsible certification authority or accredited qualification facility.

Materials and Surface Types

We evaluate a wide range of coatings and surface systems, including:

  • Erosion-resistant coatings
  • Paint systems and protective layers
  • Hydrophobic and functional coatings
  • Multi-layer and experimental materials

Both flat samples and representative component sections can be tested.

Measurement & Performance Evaluation

Durability testing combines erosion exposure with detailed surface characterization.

This includes:

  • Mass loss measurements for quantifying material removal
  • Surface roughness measurements to characterize erosion patterns
  • Microscopic imaging of damage evolution
  • Contact angle measurements to assess functional performance (e.g. hydrophobicity)

These measurements provide insight into both the rate of degradation and the underlying erosion mechanisms.

Applications

Durability and erosion testing supports:

  • Development of erosion-resistant coatings
  • Evaluation of protective surface systems
  • Optimization of materials for harsh environments
  • Assessment of functional coating performance over time

Relevant Industries

Relevant industries and use cases include: