On Effect of The Embedded Layers on Abrasive Wear

Wear caused by abrasive particles is far more extensive, when compared with adhesive or normal wear. The effect of a mating surface on the abrasive wear was rarely observed. In practice, however, the wear caused by particles introduced between rubbing surfaces is very important. Combining various materials as rubbing surfaces, the author investigated the effect of the difference in hardness on wear caused by abrasive particles between them. Bearing steel, stainless steel, high-chromium steel, heat resisting steel castings, Ni-hard and several hard facing alloys were used as the material for the cylindrical testpiece of 8 mm diameter. The mating surface was a disc of bearing steel, carbon steel, phospher bronze or cast iron. Carborundum, alundum, quartz and garnet were experimented with as the abrasive particles. Test results showed clearly the presence of steep peak in the plot of the product of the hardness and the specific wear, i.e. the abraded volume/(load×rubbed distance), against the hardness, when the hardness of both surfaces became nearly equal. This tendency was always observed irrespective of the nature of the abrasive material, and deviated considerably from the empirical law stating the constancy of the product. The author attempted to explain this fact by observing traces of free particles and embedded particles on the rubbing surfaces by means of an electron microscope. The difference in the embedability of the rubbing surfaces was found to cause the wide deviation of the value of the product. When the hardness of the cylindrical test piece related to its embedability closely approaches to that of the disk, the abrasive action of embedded particles becomes remarkable