Wear behaviors of bulk metallic glass alloy and hardened steel having the same hardness value

The wear behaviors of the Zr-based BMG alloy and hardened steel were examined using a pin-on-disc type testing machine with the same pin and disc materials. Steel with the same hardness as the BMG alloy was prepared to exclude the effect of hardness on the wear behaviors. The adhesive wear governs the wear of a steel-pin against a steel-disc. Limited plastic deformation of the BMG alloy leads to the formation of flake-like BMG debris and their size depends on the level of applied stress.

► Wear behaviors of BMG alloy and steel having the same hardness were studied.
► Pin-on-disc wear testing was performed with the same pin and disc material.
► The adhesive wear governs the wear of steel-pin against steel-disc.
► Cracking on worn surface of BMG leads to the formation of the flake-like BMG debris.
► Size and amount of BMG debris depend on the level of the applied wear stress.