The relationship between the abrasive wear resistance, hardness and microstructure of ferritic materials

Three-body abrasive wear of fine pearlite, nanostructured bainite and martensite

“…However, it is necessary to distinguish between cases where the resistance is measured as a function of microstructure in the same steel, or for materials with similar microstructures but different compositions. In the latter case, a strong correlation is found between hardness and abrasive wear resistance as long as the size of the abrasive is much larger than the controlling scale of the microstructure [22]. For example, the wear resistance and hardness increase as the fraction of pearlite in a mixture with ferrite, becomes larger [22].…”

“…This outcome cannot be attributed to correlations between hardness and wear failing because the microstructure is coarser than the grit size [22], since the latter is much coarser at 300 µm than the length scales of any of the structures studied. However, it is necessary to distinguish between cases where the resistance is measured as a function of microstructure in the same steel, or for materials with similar microstructures but different compositions.…”

“…In the latter case, a strong correlation is found between hardness and abrasive wear resistance as long as the size of the abrasive is much larger than the controlling scale of the microstructure [22]. For example, the wear resistance and hardness increase as the fraction of pearlite in a mixture with ferrite, becomes larger [22]. It is difficult to make comparisons because of experimental data are differently derived, but the variation in abrasive-wear rate seems greater when the pearlite fraction is changed by altering the carbon concentration of the steel [22][23][24], as opposed to when it is altered by changing the heat treatment for the same steel [25].…”

“…For example, the wear resistance and hardness increase as the fraction of pearlite in a mixture with ferrite, becomes larger [22]. It is difficult to make comparisons because of experimental data are differently derived, but the variation in abrasive-wear rate seems greater when the pearlite fraction is changed by altering the carbon concentration of the steel [22][23][24], as opposed to when it is altered by changing the heat treatment for the same steel [25]. Nevertheless, the fact that in the present work, large variations in hardness do not lead to large differences in wear rate is inconsistent with published three-body tests reported on 4340 steel where about a 40% improvement was achieved in three-body abrasive wear resistance for a hardness increase of 325 kgf-mm −2 [26].…”

Effect of microstructure factors on abrasion resistance of high-strength steels

“…Ridges were removed after repeated deformation due to successive passage of abrasive particles on wear surface. Thus, it is important to consider the fact that certain phases and microstructures, although showing similar hardness, may be beneficial under some abrasive conditions (Moore 1974). Hardness should be considered the rough criterion for material selection on an element subjected to erosive ± abrasive wear (Hejwowski et al 2000).…”