Abrasive wear behavior of TiC-strengthened eutectic high chromium cast iron composites

The present research on high chromium cast irons (HCCIs) strengthened with TiC particles was motivated by a need to improve the abrasive wear resistance of materials for mining equipment such as board hammers and liners. The effect of TiC content and heat treatment on the wear properties of eutectic HCCIs was investigated by combining the three-body abrasive wear and micro-scratch tests. The experimental results show that the wear rate of the as-cast HCCIs decreases from 8.0 to 5.1 cm³/cm·10⁻⁸ as the volume fraction of TiC increases to 9.8%. The superior wear resistance of TiC-reinforced HCCIs was originated from the synergic contributions of ductile austenitic matrix and high volume fraction of carbides. However, the heat treatment reduces the hardness and wear resistance of the HCCIs with high TiC content due to the high volume fraction of brittle carbide phases and the low ductility of martensite matrix.