Effect of slippage rate on frictional wear behaviors of high-speed steel with dual-scale tungsten carbides (M6C) under high-pressure sliding-rolling condition

Abstract The article studies on the effect of slippage rate on frictional wear behaviors of high-tungsten high-speed steel (HTHSS) under high-pressure contact by using a self-made ring-on-ring wear machine. The microstructure of HTHSS is characterized by dual-scale tungsten carbides, including microscale eutectic M6C carbide [(Fe0.55W0.30Cr0.08Mo0.07)6C] and nanoscale secondary M6C carbide. Slippage rate has a significant effect on frictional wear behaviors. The peak value of friction coefficient occurs at the slippage rate of 5.5 %. The friction coefficient will reduce whether the slippage rate increases or decreases. However, the increase in slippage rate makes wear failure mechanism change from fatigue to scratch, causing continuously significant increase in wear weight loss. The roles of different scale M6C carbides in resisting wear were also discussed.