Ultra-low-temperature process effects on microscale abrasion of tool steel AISI D2

Ultra-low-temperature process treatments could raise tool steel wear resistance through microstructural change that occurs on the material, enhancing, that way, tools and dies lifetime. To investigate the tool steel wear resistance impact, micro-abrasive wear tests were carried out and an analysis based on the Archard's law was considered, evaluating specimen mass loss by laser interferometry. Micro-hardness, X-ray diffractometry, scanning and optical microscopy and carbides quantitative evaluation were carried out aiming to material characterisation. Results demonstrated a micro-hardness improvement, ranging from 0.9-4.7% for the cryogenically treated specimens, when compared to the bulk material. This effect is related, mainly, to the retained austenite transformation and to the increase of fine secondary carbides dispersed amount in the martensitic matrixes cryogenically treated.