Sliding wear resistance and worn surface microstructure of nanostructured bainitic steel

• Published in: Wear 2012-04, Vol.282-283, p.81-84
• Main Authors: Yang, J., Wang, T.S., Zhang, B., Zhang, F.C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Austempering; Exact sciences and technology; Friction, wear, lubrication; Frictional wear; Machine components; Mechanical engineering. Machine design; Microstructure; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanostructure; Sliding friction; Sliding wear; Steel; Surface nanocrystallization; Wear resistance; Wear test
• ISSN: 0043-1648; 1873-2577
• DOI: 10.1016/j.wear.2012.02.008

This research studied the effect of austempering temperature on the sliding wear resistance of high-Si–Al steel, with a nanostructured bainitic microstructure obtained by austempering, and compared it with a tempered martensitic microstructure obtained by tempering. Results show that the sliding wear resistance of the nanostructured bainitic microstructure increases as the austempering temperature is decreased from 260 to 220°C. The wear resistance of these austempered samples is 21–51%, greater than that of tempered ones, although austempered samples have a lower hardness than tempered ones. In addition, the worn surface microstructure of samples tempered and austempered at 240°C was also examined, indicating that the single-phase α nanograins were formed in the worn surface of both samples. The mean size of nanograins, in the worn surface of samples austempered at 240°C, is less than that of the tempered ones.