Transition wear behaviour of an abrasion-resistant cast iron

The transition wear behaviour of an abrasion-resistant cast iron was examined using a laboratory test apparatus which models sliding abrasive wear. Low carbon and high carbon 15Cr-3Mo cast iron in the as-cast and hardened condition were used. Loads from 7 to 156 N were applied via a diamond indenter which was used to cut the grooves in the specimen surfaces. The volume of the grooves and the wear coefficients were calculated. A transition in wear was observed when the critical plastic deformation was exceeded. The transition is explained by the onset of unstable cracking in the process of particle separation; this is revealed by scanning electron microscopy.