Effect of friction on subsurface layer microstructure in austenitic and martensitic steels

By means of transmission and scanning electron microscopy, the microstructu re of subsurface layer on specimens after friction tests has been examined. The load and sliding speed dependencies of the coefficient of friction and temperature have been obtained on specimens from austenitic and martensiti c steels. It has been shown that severe adhesive wear (seizure) conditions result in formation of a 20- to 40-mu m-thick layer with the fine-crystalli ne microstructure. The thickness of the layer does not seem to depend on ei ther preceding heat treatment or initial state of the material. (C) 1999 El sevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.