Research on Thermal Wear of Cast Hot Forging Die Steel Modified by Rare Earths

Thermal wear of cast hot-forging die steel modified by rare earths(RE) was studied and compared with commercially used die steels. The function of RE and the mechanism of thermal wear of cast steel modified by RE were discussed. The results showed that with increasing content of RE, the wear rate of cast steel reduced at first and then increased. By adding 0.05% (mass fraction) RE, the cast hot-forging die steel with optimum thermal wear resistance was obtained, which was better than that of H13 and 3Cr2W8V. The large amount of coarse inclusions, (RE)2O2S, resulted from excessive RE, which obviously deteriorated thermal wear resistance. The mechanism of thermal wear of the modified cast die steel is oxidation wear and oxide fatigue delamination. The wear debris are lumps of Fe2O3 and Fe3O4.