High temperature sliding wear behaviour of Inconel 617 and Stellite 6 alloys

The sliding wear performance of the X32CrMoV33 hot work tool steel is degraded at 750 °C due basically to its inferior oxidation resistance. Extensive oxidation co-occurring with abrasion at 750 °C leads to substantial material loss basically due to the lack of an adhesive oxide scale, sufficiently ductile to sustain the abrasive action without extensive cracking or spalling. Fe3O4 fails to survive the abrasion conditions and is readily detached from the surface. The wear resistance of the Inconel 617 and Stellite 6 alloys, on the other hand, is much better at 750 °C. The adhesive and highly plastic Cr2O3 on Inconel 617 and Stellite 6 alloys sustains the sliding wear action without spalling and is claimed to be responsible for the improved wear resistance of these alloys at 750 °C.