Abrasive wear study of white cast iron with different solidification rates

The abrasive wear resistance of white cast iron was studied. The iron was solidified using two solidification rates of 1.5 and 15 °C/s. Mass loss was evaluated with tests of the type pin on abrasive disc using alumina of different sizes. Two matrices were tested: one predominantly austenitic and the other predominantly martensitic, containing M3C carbides. Samples with cooling rate of 15 °C/s showed higher hardness and more refined microstructure compared with those solidified at 1.5 °C/s. During the test, the movement of successive abrasives gave rise to the strain hardening of the austenite phase, leading to the attainment of similar levels of surface hardness, which explains why the wear rate showed no difference compared to the austenite samples with different solidification rates. For the austenitic matrix the wear rate seems to depend on the hardness of the worn surface and not on the hardness of the material without deformation. The austenitic samples showed cracking and fracture of M3C carbides. For the predominantly martensitic matrix, the wear rate was higher at the solidification rate of 1.5 °C/s, for grain size of 66 and 93 μm. Higher abrasive sizes were found to produce greater penetration and strain hardening of austenitic matrices. However, martensitic iron produces more microcutting, increasing the wear rate of the material. The analysis of the worn surface by scanning electron microscopy indicated abrasive wear mechanisms such as: microcutting, microfatigue and microploughing. Yet, for the iron of austenitic matrix, the microploughing mechanism was more severe.