Abstract
High-Cr white cast irons of six eutectic carbide area fractions varied from 9.7 % to 24.5 % were abraded by 100-grit SiC polishing papers, with the test conditions of 3 mm × 3 mm apparent contact area, 21 N normal load and 65 mm/s sliding speed. The results reveal a plastic grooving dominated process. By increasing the carbide area fraction, coarsening the eutectic morphology and strengthening the matrix phase, the abrasion resistance is improved. The improvement can be rationalized with the linear equation that Rt=Rm + (kRc - Rm) Ac, where Rt is the abrasion resistance of a given material with Ac as its carbide area fraction. Rm and Rc are the abrasion resistance of pure matrix material and pure carbide material, respectively, k is a modification factor which emphasizes interphase interaction.
