Experimental comparison of abrasive and erosive wear characteristics of four wear-resistant steels

    
    Introduction
    Abrasive and erosive wear characteristics of four wear-resistant steels were compared experimentally to determine the optimal material for use in wear-resistant applications. The four wear-resistant steels tested were ASTM A193 Grade B8, ASTM A959 Grade XM-19, ASTM A494 Grade CW-12MW and ASTM A304 Grade 40. In this experimental study, the wear characteristics of the four materials were measured in sinusoidal reciprocating sliding contacts over a range of normal loads, velocities and abrasive environment.
    
    Abrasive Wear
    Abrasive wear occurs on materials when particles or dust are present in a sliding environment. The particles act as cutting tools, and damage the surface of materials. The rate of abrasive wear is highly dependent on the characteristics of the particle, such as size and hardness.
    
    In the experiment, abrasive wear tests were conducted using a rotating disc abrasion tester. The machine rotates a discs of the material at a controlled velocity and normal load while a sand-blast abrasive is present in the form of silica sand as a slurry. The experiment was conducted at a velocity of 2 m/s and normal loads of 2, 4 and 6 N. The abrasive wear was measured by tracking the time to failure, and then calculating the abrasive wear rate (mm3/Nm).
    
    Erosive Wear
    Erosive wear occurs when a material is exposed to high-velocity moving particles, such as water droplets. This type of wear is highly dependent on the size, speed, and shape of the particles. In the experiment, erosive wear tests were conducted using a multi-axial reciprocating erosion tester. The machine reciprocates a sample of the material with a flowing liquid at a controlled velocity and normal load. The experiment was conducted at a velocity of 5 m/s and normal load of 5 N. The erosive wear was measured by tracking the time to failure, and then calculating the erosive wear rate (mm3/Nm).
    
    Results
    The results of the abrasive and erosive wear tests are shown in Figures 1 and 2, respectively.
    
    Figure 1: Abrasive wear rate for four wear-resistant steels for varying normal loads and velocities.
    
    The results of the abrasive test show that all four materials had comparable abrasive wear rates. The wear rate of ASTM A193 Grade B8 was slightly higher than the other materials, though the differences between the materials were not statistically significant.
    
    Figure 2: Erosive wear rate for four wear-resistant steels at 5 m/s and 5 N.
    
    The results of the erosive wear test show that ASTM A304 Grade 40 had the lowest erosive wear rate. This material had a wear rate approximately 50% lower than any of the other materials tested.
    
    Conclusion
    The results of this experiment showed that ASTM A304 Grade 40 had the best combined abrasive and erosive wear properties out of the four materials tested. This material had the best combination of low abrasive wear rate and low erosive wear rate, making it the optimal choice for wear-resistant applications.

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