Effect of abrasive particle size on wear resistance in steels

The effects of abrasive particle size on wear resistance have been studied extensively. But, none of these studies is completely satisfactory for finding the relation between the abrasive particle size and wear rate. The abrasive wear resistance of non-heat-treated and heat-treated steels produced at broad range of different temperatures, have been determined by using a pin-abrasion machine having five abrasive papers ground on a small pin of the test materials. The mass loss of test material during abrasive wear was determined gravimetrically. The results for the non-heat-treated steels show that there is a parabolic relation between wear coefficient and abrasive particle size. This agrees with similar findings in the literature. There is a linear relationship between the abrasive wear resistance and hardness, depending on abrasive particle size. However, the relationships for the heat-treated steels show positive intercepts on the ordinate, depending on abrasive particle size. The relative wear resistance and hardness are related linearly for non-heat-treated steels, and this relationship does not depend on abrasive particle size. But, relative wear resistance for the heat-treated steels is dependent on abrasive particle size and the relationships for the heat-treated steels show positive intercepts on the ordinate. From the findings, the empirical mathematical wear resistance model as a function of abrasive particle size is derived. Additionally, the empirical equations of the relative wear resistance of these steels as a function of abrasive particle diameter are formulated. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.