Affiliation:
1. Tecnalia, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA) Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Bizkaia, Astondo Bidea, 700 E-48160 Derio Spain
2. Alfe Cutting Polígono Bildosola, Parcela B2 E-48412 Artea Spain
3. Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering University of the Basque Country (ETSI Bilbao UPV/EHU) Calle Alameda Urquijo s/n 48013 Bilbao Spain
Abstract
The quenching and partitioning (Q&P) steels have shown to be promising candidates to be applied in fields where wear resistance is required. In this study, a medium and a high C steel are heat treated by Q&P and the resulting microstructure, hardness, and wear resistance are characterized. The mechanical stability of the austenite phase under wear test conditions is investigated. It is found that the stability of austenite is very high in the high C steel and decreases in the medium C steel. Additionally, the hardness and wear behavior of the Q&P‐treated steels are compared with the results obtained for quenching and tempering (Q&T) treated samples, showing that, although the hardness of Q&P steels is quite lower, the obtained wear rates are similar. It means that in the studied Q&P steels, although the austenite transformation into martensite does not occur considerably, the presence of austenite might play a key role in the wear resistance.
Subject
Materials Chemistry,Metals and Alloys,Physical and Theoretical Chemistry,Condensed Matter Physics