Wear Behavior and Mechanism of Spheroidal Graphite Cast Iron

Wear behavior and mechanism of spheroidal graphite cast iron were studied on a pin-on-disk elevated temperature wear tester. The phase and morphology of worn surfaces were examined by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Results show that with an increase of load, wear rate of spheroidal graphite cast iron gradually increases under low loads, rapidly increases or potentially increases under high loads; wear rate increases with increasing ambient temperature. At 25–200 °C, adhesive wear prevails; oxidative wear and adhesive wear coexist at 100 °C. As load surpasses 150 N at 100 °C, extrusive wear appears. The elevated-temperature wear of spheroidal graphite cast iron is a physical and chemical process including the following reactions: xFe + y/2O2−FexOy, 2C + O2−2CO and FexOy + yCO−xFe+yCO2. Hence, at 400 °C, the amount of graphite and tribo-oxides are substantially reduced because of reductive function of graphite. It can be suggested that wear-reduced effect of graphite and tribo-oxides is impaired.