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Article history:
Received 19 April 2010
Accepted 15 July 2010
Available online 23 July 2010
High temperature abrasive wear performance of Inconel 617, Stellite 6 alloys and X32CrMoV33 hot
work tool steel was investigated. The wear resistance of the latter is degraded at 750 1C due to its
inferior oxidation resistance. Extensive oxidation co-occuring with abrasive wear at 750 1C leads to
substantial material loss due to the lack of a protective oxide scale, sufciently ductile to sustain the
abrasion without extensive spalling. The wear resistance of the Inconel 617 and Stellite 6 alloys, on the
other hand, improves at 750 1C owing to protective oxides that sustain the abrasion without spalling.
& 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords:
Three-body abrasion
Sliding
High temperature
Wear
1. Introduction
Steel parts for drive units and chassis components are often
manufactured by forging owing to their superior mechanical
properties since the castings fail to provide the required mechanical and fatigue properties. The rather high tooling, material and
energy costs of the conventional forging process, however, have
prompted the part manufacturers to seek alternative forming
technologies. Semi-solid forming, which combines the advantages
of casting and forging at much lower forming forces and at
competitive cost, is indeed an attractive option. Having already
matured into an industrial practice for Al and Mg alloys [1], this
innovative near-net shape forming technology could upgrade the
market and provide lightweighting for forged steel parts.
Thixoforming of steel is very demanding on tool materials with
process temperatures often exceeding 1300 1C [2,3]. The surfaceto-interior temperature gradients and the thermal stresses thus
generated across the die are much larger than with Al and Mg
[46]. The principle die failure mechanism is thus claimed to be
thermal fatigue as the mechanical loading on the tooling is
modest owing to a mushy feedstock [7]. The wear caused by the
impact of the a-Fe globular particles in the slurry and high
temperature oxidation not only impair the quality of the die
surface, but also introduce potential sites for crack nucleation
under thermal cycling. The conventional hot work tool steels were
shown to rapidly deteriorate under such severe conditions [810].
Suitable die materials with extended service life are required to
set up an appropriate process for the production of steel parts on
an industrial scale [8].
0301-679X/$ - see front matter & 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.triboint.2010.07.011
2. Experimental
The wear test was designed to mimic the conditions encountered in steel thixoforming where a-Fe particles of the semi-solid
feedstock move over the die cavity surface once forced into the
die. The die materials were represented by 6 mm thick square
samples (25 mm 25 mm) machined from X32CrMoV33, Inconel
617 and Stellite 6 alloys (Table 1) and ground to a surface nish of
500 grit sand paper. The wear test rig comprised of a steel pot,
150 mm 120 mm|, placed inside a resistance heating unit
(Fig. 1a and b). The steel pot was lled with zirconia sand with
an average particle size of 163 mm (Fig. 1c). The zirconia sand was
heated to the desired test temperature before the test sample was
immersed into the sand. The wear test samples were tted to a
mild steel rod attached to an electric motor assembly capable of
rotating the specimens in hot sand at 220 rpm for 6 h. Measures
were taken to maintain a trouble-free sand ow around
the samples. The present wear test is thus a three-body abrasive
wear test.
2223
Table 1
Chemical composition of the X32CrMoV33 hot work tool steel and Inconel 617 and Stellite 6 alloys used in the present work.
Alloy
Si
Mn
Cr
Mo
Ni
Al
Co
Cu
Nb
Ti
Fe
X32CrMoV33
Inconel 617
Stellite 6
0.281
0.080
1.089
0.190
0.945
1.099
0.200
0.513
1.154
3.005
21.88
28.272
2.788
8.177
0.004
0.221
53.861
2.802
0.025
0.167
0.094
o 0.010
10.872
58.241
0.1651
0.304
0.0015
0.010
0.033
o0.001
0.211
0.413
0.009
0.020
4.512
92.63
2.850
2.660
motor
zirconia
sand
K-type
thermocouple
stainless
steel pot
sample
heating
elements
Fig. 1. (a) Photo and (b) sketch of the abrasive wear test set-up used in the present work. (c) Scanning electron micrograph of the zirconia sand used in abrasive wear tests.
600
before testing
after testing at 625C
after testing at 750C
hardness (HV1)
500
400
300
200
100
0
X32CrMoV33
Inconel 617
100
Stellite 6
90
80
weight loss (mg)
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
X32CrMoV33
Inconel 617
Stellite 6
Fig. 2. (a) Hardness and (b) weight loss values of the three alloys tested at 625 and
750 1C.
2224
Fig. 3. Photos of (a) the X32CrMoV33 hot work tool steel and (b) Stellite 6 samples after abrasive wear tests at 750 1C.
10m
Element
CK
OK
Al K
Si K
VK
Cr K
Fe K
Mo L
Wt%
17.49
28.05
0.22
0.21
0.11
0.64
52.86
0.41
10m
Element
CK
OK
Al K
Si K
VK
Cr K
Fe K
Mo L
Wt%
6.47
16.81
0.29
0.42
0.37
2.50
70.42
2.33
Fig. 4. Scanning electron micrograph, EDS spectrum and EDS analysis of the corners of (a) the surface and (b) the corner of X32CrMoV33 hot work tool steel sample after
abrasive wear test at 625 1C.
hardness drop (Fig. 2a). This is not surprising since the temper
resistance of hot work tool steels is claimed to be around 650 1C
[19]. Inconel 617 alloy, on the other hand, has experienced only
slight softening with a further increase in the test temperature to
750 1C, suggesting that it has already almost fully softened at
625 1C. The Stellite 6 alloy appears to soften gradually over this
temperature range (Fig. 2a).
1mm
1mm
Element Wt%
32.84
CK
31.03
OK
0.34
Al K
0.54
Si K
0.36
VK
2.27
Cr K
28.53
Fe K
0.96
Ni K
3.12
Mo L
Fig. 5. Scanning electron micrograph, EDS spectrum and EDS analysis of a heavily
worn location at the corner of X32CrMoV33 hot work tool steel sample after
abrasive wear test at 750 1C.
10m
Element
CK
OK
Al K
Si K
VK
Cr K
Mn K
Fe K
Mo L
Wt%
2.51
19.01
0.20
0.35
0.62
4.54
0.17
67.05
4.62
2225
The weight loss of the X32CrMoV33 sample after the wear test
at 750 1C was measured to be 91 mg evidencing a marked
reduction in its wear resistance. The oxide scales, which spalled
from the surface soon after the sample cooled to room
temperature, is responsible for much of this weight loss
(Fig. 3a). The wear resistance of the Inconel 617 and Stellite 6
alloys, on the other hand, appears to have improved at 750 1C. The
weight loss of these two alloys due to abrasive wear at 750 1C is
considerably less than at 625 1C (Fig. 2b). It is also interesting to
note that the differences between the Inconel 617 and Stellite 6
alloys in terms of hardness and weight loss are almost completely
erased after the wear tests at 750 1C. The two alloys seem to have
attained similar hardness and have suffered nearly equal weight
loss after testing at 750 1C.
The abrasive wear was most prominent along the leading
edges, particularly around the bottom corners, of the samples
where the pressure head and thus the abrasion capacity of the
sand was the highest (Fig. 3b). These locations were thus rounded
off evidencing that the wear at the corners and edges is
responsible for much of the material loss incurred on the samples.
The surfaces of the samples on the other hand, hardly revealed
any wear damage as the sand particles tended to slide over the
at surfaces under the present circumstances. The specimen
geometry and the features of the wear test employed in the
present work facilitated the assessment of the relative impact of
oxidation and abrasive wear in generating material loss during
elevated temperature wear testing.
The X32CrMoV33 hot work tool steel submitted to wear test at
625 1C shows markedly different features at the surface and at the
corner. The surface is in an oxidised state while the features of the
corner are typical of three-body abrasion with multiple indentations (Fig. 4). The wear features such as craters, extrusion lips are
much ner with respect to the erodent size and instead scale with
the microstructure. The EDS analysis of the respective regions has
shown stronger oxygen peaks at the surface than at the corner,
implying that oxide at the corner has been thinned by abrasion.
The marked difference between the C levels at the surface and at
the worn corner seems to underline the impact of carbides in the
oxidation process. The EDS analysis always revealed high C levels
for those sites where O levels were also high. This is true also
for the sample corner locations where the wear damage was
10m
Element
CK
OK
Al K
Si K
VK
Cr K
Mn K
Fe K
Mo L
Wt%
7.57
37.23
0.37
0.60
0.59
5.59
0.38
43.09
4.59
Fig. 6. Scanning electron micrograph, EDS spectrum and EDS analysis of the corners of (a) the surface and (b) the corner of X32CrMoV33 hot work tool steel sample after
abrasive wear test at 750 1C.
2226
intensity (a.u)
10
20
30
40
50
60
2
(degrees)
70
80
90
100
Fig. 7. XRD pattern of X32CrMoV33 hot work tool steel sample submitted to
abrasive wear test at 750 1C: ~, a-Fe; , Fe3O4.
10m
Element
CK
OK
Al K
Si K
Cr K
Mn K
Fe K
Co K
Ni K
Mo L
Wt%
10.25
14.53
0.26
1.28
17.56
0.85
1.90
8.33
35.32
9.74
10m
Element
CK
OK
Al K
Si K
Cr K
Mn K
Fe K
Co K
Ni K
Mo L
Wt%
13.59
8.35
0.34
0.56
16.52
0.52
2.27
10.30
41.49
6.07
Fig. 8. Scanning electron micrograph, EDS spectrum and EDS analysis of the corners of (a) the surface and (b) the corner of Inconel 617 sample after abrasive wear test
at 625 1C.
10 m
Element
CK
OK
Al K
Si K
Cr K
Mn K
Fe K
Co K
Ni K
Mo L
Wt%
10.20
24.51
0.29
1.18
19.70
0.84
1.84
7.00
28.44
6.01
10 m
Element
CK
OK
Al K
Si K
Cr K
Mn K
Fe K
Co K
Ni K
Mo L
Wt%
21.73
11.43
0.22
0.46
15.47
0.54
1.90
8.00
36.03
4.22
Fig. 9. Scanning electron micrograph, EDS spectrum and EDS analysis of the corners of (a) the surface and (b) the corner of Inconel 617 sample after abrasive wear test
at 750 1C.
2227
10 m
10 m
Element
CK
OK
Si K
Cr K
Mn K
Fe K
Co K
WM
Element
CK
OK
Si K
Cr K
Mn K
Fe K
Co K
WM
Wt%
4.83
20.39
0.86
28.23
2.22
2.53
37.57
3.38
Wt%
8.71
12.52
0.49
19.67
1.00
2.11
51.40
4.09
Fig. 10. Scanning electron micrograph, EDS spectrum and EDS analysis of the corners of (a) the surface and (b) the corner of Stellite 6 sample after abrasive wear test
at 750 1C.
1
1
2
5 m
Element
OK
Al K
Si K
Cr K
Mn K
Fe K
Co K
Ni K
Mo L
Element
OK
Al K
Si K
Cr K
Mn K
Fe K
Co K
Ni K
Mo L
Wt%
13.48
0.30
0.72
17.47
0.59
2.54
10.80
45.32
8.79
Wt%
16.73
0.47
0.91
17.34
0.23
3.06
9.96
43.39
7.91
5 m
1
Element
CK
OK
Si K
Cr K
Mn K
Fe K
Co K
Mo L
WM
Wt%
5.70
10.75
0.57
21.24
0.89
2.07
54.05
0.13
4.60
Element
CK
OK
Si K
Cr K
Mn K
Fe K
Co K
Mo L
Wt%
6.02
9.89
0.52
20.76
0.87
2.59
55.02
0.10
WM
4.24
Fig. 11. Scanning electron micrographs, EDS spectrums and EDS analysis of indicated locations corners at the corner of (a) Inconel 617 and (b) Stellite 6 sample after
abrasive wear test at 750 1C.
intensity (a.u)
2228
10
20
30
40
50
60
2
(degrees)
70
80
90
100
Fig. 12. XRD patterns of (a) Inconel 617 and (b) Stellite 6 samples submitted to
abrasive wear tests at 750 1C: &, g; D, Cr2O3.
O, wt%
20
10
Si, wt%
0
15
10
5
1 m
0
40
Cr, wt%
30
20
10
Fe, wt%
0
10
5
0
Co, wt%
15
10
5
Ni, wt%
0
40
30
20
10
0
0
Fig. 13. (a) Transverse section micrograph of the surface region of the Inconel 617 sample submitted to abrasive wear test at 750 1C and (b) line scan EDS spectrums across
the surface oxide.
2229
10
Si, wt%
O, wt%
10
Mn, wt%
Cr, wt%
8
20
10
6
4
Ni, wt%
1 m
Al, wt%
6
Fe, wt%
Co, wt%
30
20
10
4
2
10
5
4
W, wt%
Mo, wt%
3
2
1
0
0
0
3
m
3
m
Fig. 14. (a) Transverse section micrograph of the surface region of the Stellite 6 sample submitted to abrasive wear test at 750 1C and (b) line scan EDS spectrums across the
surface oxide.
2230
References
107
X32CrMoV33
Inconel 617
Stellite 6
106
105
104
103
102
101
100
0
100
200
300
400
500
temperature (C)
600
700
800
Fig. 15. Weight gain as a function of temperature of the three alloys used in the
present work.
4. Conclusions
The abrasive wear performance of the X32CrMoV33 hot work
tool steel, better than those of Inconel 617 and Stellite 6 alloys at
625 1C, is degraded at 750 1C due to its inferior oxidation
resistance. While the response of the X32CrMoV33 steel to wear
at 625 1C is abrasion dominated at 625 1C, oxidation becomes
the predominant mechanism at 750 1C. Extensive oxidation
co-occuring with abrasive wear at 750 1C leads to substantial
material loss. The wear resistance of the Inconel 617 and Stellite 6
alloys, on the other hand, improves at 750 1C.
The tribological behaviour is strongly affected by the nature,
the thickness, the adherence and the morphology of the oxide
scales [32,33]. The poor adherence and limited ductility of Fe3O4
promote the failure of the thick oxide scale on the tool steel
sample impairing its resistance to wear at elevated temperatures
[27,34]. The adhesive and highly plastic Cr2O3 lm, identied to
be the predominant oxide on the surface of both Inconel 617 and
Stellite 6 samples, on the other hand, sustains the abrasion and is
responsible for the improved wear resistance of these alloys at
750 1C as suggested in [25,29,33]. The reduced oxidation rate in
these two alloys suppresses the synergy between oxidation and
wear, thus improving the resistance to wear at 750 1C.
Acknowledgements
F. Alageyik and O. Cakr are thanked for their help in the
experiments and C. Berk for his help in SEM-EDS investigations.
This work was funded by TUBITAK and the facilites used in
thixoforming experiments were procured via a grant by the State
Planing Organization of Turkey.
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