Microstructure, mechanical properties and wear behavior of metallic, nonmetallic and deep cryogenically chilled ASTM A216 WCB steel

▶ Microstructure of the chilled steels is finer than that of the un-chilled steel with random orientation of carbide particles in pearlite matrix. ▶ Strength, hardness and wear resistance of the chilled steels are superior to those of the un-chilled steel. It was found that these properties increase with an increase in carbide particles in fine pearlite matrix. ▶ At lower load, chilled steels exhibited mild wear regime with high coefficient of friction and at higher loads they exhibited severe wear with better wear resistance than the un-chilled steel. ▶ Size of the wear debris decreases because of rapid crack propagation of a brittle body under compression where as the size of the carbide fragmentation remain approximately the same. ▶ Rate of chilling is identified as an important parameter that affects microstructure and mechanical behavior of WCB steel.