Metallurgical aspects of steels designed to resist abrasion, and impact-abrasion wear

Many abrasion resistant steels rely on a martensitic microstructure to ensure hardness, which in general correlates with better wear performance. However, in practice the steel may be subjected to a complex combination of conditions where hardness alone may not be sufficient to ensure tribological performance. This review is a critical assessment of the mechanical and metallurgical parameters that control wear resistance of steel in impact-abrasion conditions, although relevant work dealing with abrasion has also been included. It is found, for example, that fracture toughness and work-hardening behaviour have a role in enhancing the wear resistance of hard steels.