Effect of the microstructure and residual stress on tribological behavior of induction hardened GCr15 steel

• Published in: Tribology international 2017-11, Vol.115, p.108-115
• Main Authors: Cao, Y.J., Sun, J.Q., Ma, F., Chen, Y.Y., Cheng, X.Z., Gao, X., Xie, K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abrasive wear; Bearing steels; Chromium steels; Compressive properties; Debris; Effects; Friction; Frictional wear; Induction hardening; Martensite; Microstructure; Quenching; Residual stress; Retained austenite; Sliding friction; Steel; Tensile stress; Tribology; Wear; Wear mechanisms; Wear particles; Wear resistance
• ISSN: 0301-679X; 1879-2464
• DOI: 10.1016/j.triboint.2017.05.028

A systematic experimental investigation was conducted to study the effects of microstructure and residual stress on the tribological behavior of induction hardened GCr15 steel. Dry sliding wear tests of the hardened steel had been performed using a reciprocating ball-on-flat apparatus under different normal loads of 20, 50, and 100 N. The results indicate that the quenched layer microstructure is composed of martensite and retained austenite. The analysis of worn surface and wear debris of quenched layer showed that the wear mechanism was mainly abrasive wear at low load and delamination wear at high load. Typically, the compressive stress in the hardening layer has a significant positive influence on the wear resistance whereas the tensile stress has a negative effect. The pictures show the GCr15 steel's distribution of microhardness and residual stress along depth profiles after induction hardening and the wear volume at different depth with different loads. It is obvious that the hardened zone (at depth of 500 μm and 2000 μm) is superior to the substrate in wear resistance. In addition, the most important is that the wear volume at depth of 2000 μm with high residual compressive stress was lower than that of 500 μm in hardened zone with the same microstructure and microhardness. It is indicated that the high compressive stress is advantageous for wear resistance. [Display omitted] •The GCr15 steel’s hardness and residual stress distribution were obtained by induction hardening optimization parameters.•The microstructure along the depth profiles was composed of hardened zone, transition region and substrate.•The higher compressive stress in hardening layer with the same microstructure reduced wear volume and friction coefficient.