Piston Rod Corrosion in Aircraft Actuators and Its Impact Mechanism on Sealing Performance

ZHANG Ding; BIAN Guixue; LI Ming; HUANG Hailiang; KUANG Lin

doi:10.7643/issn.1672-9242.2025.08.008

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Equipment Environmental Engineering ›› 2025, Vol. 22 ›› Issue (8) : 62-69. DOI: 10.7643/issn.1672-9242.2025.08.008

Special Topic—Application and Collaborative Evaluation Technology of Light Weapons in Complex Environments

Piston Rod Corrosion in Aircraft Actuators and Its Impact Mechanism on Sealing Performance

ZHANG Ding¹, BIAN Guixue¹, LI Ming², HUANG Hailiang¹, KUANG Lin³

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Abstract

The work aims to analyze the corrosion mechanism of frequent sealing failures of aircraft actuators and its impact on sealing performance. Based on the operational environment characteristics of a certain type of onboard actuators, research was conducted through natural exposure tests, microscopic corrosion morphology and composition analysis, surface roughness testing, and other methods. After two years of natural exposure, the chrome plating layer on the piston rod peeled off, and the resulting deformation caused coarse cracks. The peeled areas were filled with corrosion products from the high-strength steel substrate, which spread outward. The remaining chrome plating at the edges became sharp, and the surface roughness of the piston rod increased by 17.48 times, leading to a doubled leakage rate. Additionally, slight oil seepage was observed at the sealing interface of the piston rod. The specialized hard chrome plating process introduces numerous defects in the coating, accelerating substrate corrosion and increasing surface roughness. This prevents tight adhesion between the piston rod and the sealing ring or causes scratches on the sealing ring, ultimately leading to leakage failures.

Key words

aircraft actuator / piston rod / chromium coating / corrosion / sealing performance / fault mechanism

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ZHANG Ding, BIAN Guixue, LI Ming, HUANG Hailiang, KUANG Lin. Piston Rod Corrosion in Aircraft Actuators and Its Impact Mechanism on Sealing Performance[J]. Equipment Environmental Engineering. 2025, 22(8): 62-69 https://doi.org/10.7643/issn.1672-9242.2025.08.008

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Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (52074234); Youth Scientific and Technological Innovation Research Team Project of Sichuan Province (2020JDTD0016); Major Scientific and Technological Project of CNOOC Limited (CNOOC-KJ 135 ZDXM 38 ZJ 05 ZJ)