Improving wear resistance of steels through nanocrystalline structures obtained by bainitic transformation

Nanocrystalline materials are structurally characterised by a large density of grain boundaries which significantly alter their mechanical properties in comparison with conventional coarsegrained materials. Specifically, nanocrystallisation has been proven to be an effective method to improve wear resistance of steels. The recent development of the first bulk nanocrystalline steel, which can be produced on a large scale with large dimensions solely by bainitic transformation at low temperature, has stimulated research in quest of its in-service properties and potential applications. This paper outlines the work devoted in the last years to assess and understand the wear response of those nanocrystalline bainitic steels.The authors gratefully acknowledge the Research Fund for Coal and Steel for supporting ongoing research on wear resistance of nanostructured bainite under the contract RFSR-CT-2014-00016. R.R. and F.G.C. want to express their gratitude to the Corrosion and Protection of Materials Group (COPROMAT) for providing support and assistance.Peer Reviewe