Dry-sliding wear behavior of AISI 4140 barrel steel at elevated temperatures

Abstract In this study dry sliding wear behavior of AISI 4140 steel at given elevated temperatures was examined. The experiments were performed on a heat-modulated ball-on-disc wear device under 3, 5, 7 and 10 N loads at room temperature, 100, 200, 300 and 450 °C. 3D optical microscopy was performed for determining the volume loss of the worn samples. SEM (scanning electron microscopy) was used to determine the morphology of the worn surfaces of the samples while Raman spectrometry was used for determining oxide types occurring as a result of wear. Experimental applications showed that volume loses slightly increased as a function of indenter load elevation. The experiments performed at 300 °C, the volume loss ratios were found to be lower compared to all other samples. The highest volume loss was obtained in the experiments performed at 450 °C. Volume loss decreased in all samples under 10 N load. A tribological layer formed on the surface of samples subjected to a dry-sliding process. In the experiments performed at 100 °C and 200 °C, the delamination type was the dominant wear mechanism at all loads.