WEAR PERFORMANCE OF AISI 304L STAINLESS STEEL UNDER VARIOUS AMBIENT TEMPERATURES

Abstract

AISI 304L steel is widely preferred in many fields such as pipe sector, biomedical and nuclear industry due to its wear behavior and good machinability. In this experimental study, temperature-dependent wear properties and worn surface structures of AISI 304L steel were investigated. All tests were conducted by using pin-on-disc test equipment under unlubricated conditions. As ambient temperatures, 25°C, 50°C, 100°C, 150°C, and 200°C were selected. The results indicated that the main friction properties, wear mechanisms, and wear rate of the worn steel samples were significantly affected by altering the test temperatures. It was observed that the friction coefficient oscillated at lower temperatures, but this case was quite different at higher temperatures. Micro observations showed that mixed deformation characteristic dominated by adhesive wear was observed between 25°C and 150°C while abrasive wear became more effective between 150°C and 200°C. Moreover, wear rate and specific wear rate values increased until 150°C, then dropped as a result of changing the wear mechanism and contact surface structure.