EFFECT OF INTERLAMELLAR SPACING ON THE WEAR-RESISTANCE OF EUTECTOID STEELS UNDER ROLLING SLIDING CONDITIONS

The influence of the mean true interlamellar pearlite spacing on the wear behavior of eutectoid steels under rolling-sliding line contact has been investigated. A spacing range of 118-450 nm was achieved by carrying out isothermal heat treatments on two medium carbon steels, one a plain carbon steel and the other containing small additions of chromium and molybdenum. The relationship between wear rate and interlamellar spacing (S) was not affected by the small compositional differences but did depend on hertzian contact pressure. A progressive pattern of behavior was observed in which the wear rate was proportional to S0.47 at 1220 N mm-2 and to S1.33 at 500 N mm-2. The mechanism of wear generated by the high slide-roll ratio used in these experiments, the nature and influence of the initial break-in period, and the reproducibility of test data are also addressed. © 1990.