On the Tribocorrosion Behavior of Fe-Mn-Al-C Alloys in Ringer’s Solution

The long-term performance of steels is affected by the simultaneous actions of wear and corrosion, known as tribocorrosion. The tribocorrosion behavior of fully austenitic steels: Fe-Mn-xAl-C (x = 0, 3.5 and 8.3 wt.%) in Ringer’s solution was investigated by using a pin on disk tribometer adapted with a three-electrode corrosion cell. Open circuit potential and coefficient of friction evolution as well as polarization curves were measured. Corrosion rates were calculated by the Tafel extrapolation method, and wear rates were calculated by using a linear profilometer. Pure and total wear rates were higher for the 3Al alloy due to the greater precipitation and embedded calcium minerals, hydroxides, and oxides on the surface, to the detachment of the deformed layer and its adhesion to the counterbody. Additionally, the 8Al alloy exhibited the lowest tendency to corrosion and corrosion rate and the greatest synergistic effect, indicating that this alloy is more sensitive to this effect than the other alloys. For the three materials, the change in the wear rate due to corrosion had a greater contribution to the synergy than the change in corrosion rate due to wear and the damage in the materials was derived mainly from pure mechanical wear.