ABRASIVE WEAR BEHAVIOR OF AN AISI-5132 STEEL UNDER LOW STRESSES

This paper elucidates the effects of microstructural changes, thereby affecting the bulk hardness, brought about by different heat treatment cycles on the low stress abrasion resistance of an AISI 5132 steel. T he abrasion resistance of the steel has been investigated using rubber wheel abrasion test (RWAT) apparatus at an applied load of 48 N and l inear sliding speed of 3.27 m / s. Crushed silica sand particles (size : 212-300 mum) were used as the abrasive medium. The steel subjected t o hardening treatment showed less wear rate than the one in the harden ed plus tempered condition. The normalised steel was found to suffer f rom maximum rate of abrasion. SEM examinations of abraded surfaces of the hardened steel revealed relatively shallower grooves and less exte nt of pitting than the one in normalised condition. The debris produce d during wear of hardened steel contained more number of machining chi ps while the normalised steel revealed mostly flake type debris partic les. Abrasion-induced microstructural changes and deformation leading to work hardening in the subsurface regions were found to be the main factor controlling the material removal mechanisms.