Erosive and abrasive wear performance of carbide free bainitic steels – comparison of field and laboratory experiments

Abstract

Carbide free bainitic (CFB) steels have been tested in two heat treated conditions and compared with currently used quenched and tempered (QT) steel in an industrial mining application subjected to erosive–abrasive wear. A conventional sliding abrasion and a new application oriented high-stress erosion wear tests were performed in laboratory. The results of the erosion and the field tests were compared. The microstructural changes were investigated by optical and scanning electron microscopy. The hardness and hardness profiles of the steels were measured. The results showed that in the laboratory tests, the abrasion and erosion wear rates of the CFB steels were 35% and 45% lower respectively in comparison to the QT steel. In the field test, the mass losses of the CFB steels were about 80% lower in comparison with the QT steel. The improved wear resistance of the CFB steel can be explained by its higher hardness and higher work hardening. The erosion wear test was able to simulate the work hardening effect and the wear mechanisms observed in the field test samples.