Effect of Pearlite Interlamellar Spacing on Predominant Abrasive Wear Mechanism of Fully Pearlitic Steel

The aim of this investigation was the determination of the predominant wear mechanism on three-body abrasion of fully pearlitic low alloy steel. Furthermore, the effect of pearlite interlamellar spacing on wear behavior was investigated. For this purpose, the samples were subjected to the different heat treating to attaining different interlamellar spacing. Mechanical properties such as hardness, yield strength, tensile strength, elongation, and impact toughness were evaluated. Three body abrasion tests were conducted under ASTM standard condition using a rubber wheel abrasion test apparatus. Abraded surface and wear debris were investigated by light optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that wear resistance of fully pearlitic steel depended to pearlite interlamellar spacing the and lower spacing has the greater wear resistance, so it may be due to subsurface work hardening and interlamellar spacing and cementite in fine and/or coarse pearlite, that influence on surface destruction during wear. Although during wear process the several mechanisms play roles, but study of surface and debris shows that with decreasing interlamellar spacing, the predominant mechanism wear changed from ploughing to cutting mode.