Effect of abrasive size on wear of metallic materials and its relationship with microchips morphology and wear micromechanisms: Part 1

In this paper, the effect of abrasive particle size on the wear of white cast iron with M(3)C carbide and with austenitic and martensitic matrices was investigated. Abrasive wear tests using a pin on alumina paper were carried out using abrasive sizes between 16 mu m and 192 mu m. The wear surface of the specimens was examined by SEM for identifying the wear micromechanism and the type of microchips (wear debris) formed on the abrasive paper. The results show that the mass loss for the white cast iron with both austenitic and martensitic matrices increases linearly with the increase of particle size until the critical particle size is reached. After the critical particle size is reached, the rate of mass loss of the iron with austenitic matrix increases at a lower linear rate, and for the iron with martensitic matrix the curve of mass loss is non-linear and flattens when the critical particle size is reached. The abrasive paper in contact with the iron of both austenitic and martensitic matrices presents continuous microchips and the main wear mechanism was microcutting before reaching critical particle size, and after that, it presents deformed discontinuous microchips and the main wear mechanism was microploughing. The results show that the critical abrasive size on wear is related to the wear micromechanisms and the microchips morphology. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.