EFFECT OF PHASE-COMPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT OF MARTENSITE TRANSFORMATIONS ON WEAR-RESISTANCE OF LOW-CARBON MANGANESE STEELS

The effect of manganese on the wear resistance of the low-carbon steel s studied is ambiguous. Under the test conditions used, the highest we ar resistance is observed in steels featuring the maximum degree of ga mma --> alpha transformation of martensite in the surface layer during wear. Wear involves epsilon --> gamma transformation in steels with e psilon-phase in their structure, In some cases this leads to a loss of hardness of the surface layer and decrease of wear resistance. Alloyi ng of G20 steel with carbon (0.3%) and chromium (10%) increases the we ar resistance. Nickel (10%) exerts an opposite effect. Joint alloying with chromium (6%) and nickel (1.5%) also has an adverse effect owing to a marked increase of the stability of austenite to gamma --> alpha transformation.