Microstructural effects in abrasive wear. Quarterly progress report, December 15, 1978--March 15, 1979

An understanding is sought of the relationships between low-stress and gouging wear resistance and microstructure of a series of Ni--Cr white irons and Co-base powder metallurgy (PM) alloys. Time wear testing, optical and quantitative metallography (QTM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have been completed. The wear-microstructure interactions of Ni--Cr iron (Ni-Hard 4) samples having various volume fractions of retained austenite are discussed. The results of detailed SEM studies are considered along with micro-quantitative analyses of the wear scars by energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), to provide interpretation of the wear behavior in terms of material removal micro-mechanisms in the white irons.