Comparative Study on Abrasive Wear Properties of BTW and Hardox500

Abrasion is a type of wear that occurs when two surfaces interact with each other, resulting in the removal of material from one or both of the surfaces. Abrasive wear is the most common form of wear and involves rubbing, grinding, or scouring between two surfaces. It is the result of a series of localized surface abrasive contact and frictional forces. Abrasive wear typically occurs in high-load, low-velocity applications.
    
Due to the frequent use of abrasion and the wide variety of end-use applications, it is important to develop materials with high abrasion resistance. Two such materials, Boron-Tungsten-Carbide (BTW) and Hardox 500, have been recently developed to improve abrasion resistance. This article will provide a comparative study of the abrasive wear properties of BTW and Hardox 500.
    
Overview of BTW and Hardox 500
BTW is a composite material consisting of a boron carbide matrix reinforced with hard tungsten carbide particles. The matrix provides good toughness, inhibiting the propagation of cracks due to abrasive wear. The hard particles of tungsten carbide act as the abrasive-resistant component, providing improved wear resistance to the overall matrix.
    
Hardox 500 is a wear-resistant steel made from a martensitic-bainitic microstructure. The high hardness of Hardox 500 is due to the alloying elements, nitrogen and chromium, which increase the hardness and strength of the material. The high hardness of Hardox 500 provides excellent abrasion resistance, as well as resistance to impact and fatigue.
    
Comparison of Abrasive Wear Properties
The abrasive wear properties of BTW and Hardox 500 can be compared in terms of wear resistance, fracture toughness, and fracture resistance.
    
In terms of wear resistance, BTW exhibits excellent wear resistance at both high and low loads. This is due to the presence of hard tungsten carbide particles that act to abrade away the opposing surface. In contrast, Hardox 500 has good wear resistance at high loads, but relatively lower wear resistance at low loads due to its softer matrix.
    
In terms of fracture toughness, BTW exhibits good fracture toughness due to its composite structure. The matrix of boron carbide provides good toughness, while the hard tungsten carbide particles inhibit the propagation of cracks due to abrasive wear. Hardox 500 has inferior fracture toughness due to its single-phase microstructure and lack of reinforcement particles.
    
In terms of fracture resistance, BTW outperforms Hardox 500. Due to its composite structure and the presence of hard tungsten carbide particles, BTW is better able to resist crack propagation and therefore fractures less easily. On the other hand, Hardox 500’s single-phase microstructure and lack of reinforcement particles makes it more susceptible to crack propagation and fracture.
    
A comparative study of the abrasive wear properties of BTW and Hardox 500 has revealed that BTW has superior wear resistance, fracture toughness, and fracture resistance compared to Hardox 500. This makes BTW an ideal choice for applications requiring superior abrasion resistance. Accordingly, BTW is well-suited for high-load, low-velocity applications involving abrasive wear.

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