Wear Behavior and Mechanism of H13 Steel in Different Environmental Media

Sliding wear tests were performed for H13 steel in atmosphere, distilled water, 3.5% NaCl, and 5% NaOH water solutions under various loads on a pin-on-disk wear tester. The results showed that for different environmental media, the wear rate of H13 steel in atmosphere was the maximum and that in 3.5% NaCl solution was the minimum. The maximum wear rate in atmosphere was caused by a larger quantity of heat produced in the friction process. In this case, the adhesive wear prevailed. In three wet environments, the mild wear prevailed due to the good lubrication and cooling capacity of media as well as corrosion product film on worn surface. In distilled water, the wear mechanism was a typical fatigue wear. On the other hand, in 3.5% NaCl and 5% NaOH solutions, corrosive wear prevailed. The minimum wear rate in 3.5% NaCl solution was attributed to the protective function of corrosion product film. On the contrary, noncompact corrosion product film in 5% NaOH solution resulted in higher wear rate.