Tribocorrosion Performance of Medium-Manganese Austenitic Wear-Resistant Steel in Simulated Mine Water

The tribocorrosion properties of a modified medium-manganese austenitic wear-resistant steel (MMAS) and a wear-resistant steel (Hardox 450) were investigated under simulated mining conditions. The tribocorrosion results show that the wear rate of MMAS is significantly lower than those of Hardox 450. SEM results reveal that fatigue- and impact-corrosion spalling pits appear only in Hardox 450. The improvement of tribocorrosion performance of MMAS is owing to the enhanced surface hardness by strain-induced martensite transformation, good ability to form passive films and uniform corrosion. With the good wear- and corrosion-resistance, MMAS is expected to have an extensive application in various corrosion-wear environments.