Three body type abrasive wear characteristics of multi-component white cast irons

Abstract Abrasive wear can occur on tooth and suspension parts such as construction machinery power shovels and bulldozers. In order to reach high safety and low cost, it is important to develop wear resistant material and estimate of life service during abrasion. The amount of alloy element dissolved in the matrix is changed by the type of carbide and microstructure due to the addition content of alloy. However, it is important to consider the relationship the actual wear situation with environment reproducible testing machine. In the present study, nickel (Ni) which will encourage the carbides formation by suppressed the solid solution of the carbide-forming elements into the matrix was added into the traditional Fe-2C-5Cr-5Mo-5W-5 Nb-5Co system multi-component white cast iron. The effect of Ni on the three type of abrasive wear characteristics of this new material was investigated. A rubber wheel type abrasion tester was used for the abrasion tester. Test piece was pressed against the circumferential portion of the rubber wheel rotating at 100 ± 1 rpm with a load of 196 N. Silica sand of 170–220 µm was supplied at a rate of about 4.2 g/s from the popper between them, an abrasion test was conducted for 5 min. As a results, in both 0Co and 5Co type specimens, the specimens added with 3% Ni showed good three body type abrasive wear characteristics. In particular, the hardness of 3Ni-5Co showed a high value of 790 HV, showing the most excellent three type abrasive wear characteristics. With or without addition of Co, there was no difference in wear loss for 0Ni and 5Ni specimens. This is because there was no significant difference in hardness between 620 and 690 HV. Thereby, it can be concluded, the wear loss tended to decrease with increasing hardness of specimens.