Evaluation of the saturation time of a liquid abrasive with a polymer protective compound for underwater waterjet cutting in the event of a coating barrier failure

Waterjet cutting technology is used for underwater engineering work to solve specific problems. However, wear of the jet-forming nozzle reduces cutting efficiency and requires replacement under severe conditions. The authors of this article propose using abrasive grains coated with a polymer protective film (compound protector) in waterjet cutting, which will significantly increase the service life of waterjet cutting components. However, there is a drawback to using such protective films: when exposed to water for extended periods, the protective coating of the abrasive grain swells due to water diffusing into it. This swelling occurs due to the diffusion of water molecules into the coating and their filling of existing microcracks. This article presents a mathematical model for calculating the total relative volume of microcracks in the coating and the time it takes for diffusing water molecules to fill it. The use of the model is illustrated by an example calculation of these characteristics.
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