3-BODY ABRASIVE WEAR OF 0.98-PERCENT CARBON-STEEL

Low stress abrasion studies of a hypereutectoid steel have been carried out using a rubber wheel abrasion test apparatus. Hardness of the steel was changed by subjecting the specimens to different heat treatment cycles. Abrasion tests were conducted at various loads and wheel speeds using crushed silica sand as the abrasive medium. Wear rates of the steel in all test conditions decreased significantly during the running-in period prior to attaining steady state values, which was considered to be due to the abrasion-induced work hardening of the regions close to the abraded surface. Results showed that the increase in bulk hardness of the steel specimen caused a linear increase in wear resistance. Furthermore, up to a bulk hardness of about 400 HV, the rate of increase was higher than that above 400 HV. Increase in the applied load caused lower wear resistance, while speed did not show any definite trend. One of the material removal mechanisms, in particular, was found to be microcutting as indicated by continuous grooves on the wear surface and generation of machining chips in the debris. Micropitting was found to be another wear mechanism as evidenced by the formation of craters on the wear surface and flake-shaped particles in the wear debris.