Micro-abrasive wear mechanisms of borided AISI 1020 steel

• Published in: Tribology international 2017-07, Vol.111, p.234-242
• Main Authors: Krelling, A.P., da Costa, C.E., Milan, J.C.G., Almeida, E.A.S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Boriding, AISI 1020 steel; Micro-scale abrasion; Tribological behavior
• ISSN: 0301-679X; 1879-2464
• DOI: 10.1016/j.triboint.2017.03.017

A boriding treatment was applied to AISI 1020 steel at 1000°C for 4h. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the Knoop microhardness test. The loads and abrasive slurry concentrations used in the micro-abrasion tests (fixed-ball) were 0.49–0.98N and 0.5–1.0g/cm³, respectively. Silicon carbide (SiC) abrasive powders (5µm) were used in the abrasion experiments. The wear coefficient and mechanisms were compared with those obtained from untreated samples. The XRD analysis revealed the presence of the Fe2B phase on the borided samples. The iron borided layer was 177µm thick and had a hardness of 2100 HK0.01. The wear mechanism for the borided samples was rolling abrasion while grooving abrasion with micro-rolling occurred in the untreated samples. •Solid boriding treatment was performed on AISI 1020 steel.•Micro-scale abrasive wear test was used to evaluate the tribological behavior.•Good adhesion strength between boride layer and steel substrate was achieved.•Untreated specimens showed the occurrence of grooving abrasion.•Rolling abrasion was the wear mechanism in borided specimens.