Effect of normal loading on microstructural evolution and sliding wear behaviour of novel continuously cooled carbide free bainitic steel

Unlubricated sliding wear performance of a newly developed, continuously cooled carbide free bainitic steel was evaluated. Effect of different applied load on wear mechanisms and other surface and subsurface modifications have been studied. It was observed that the wear mechanism was changed from predominantly abrasive to adhesion and fatigue as the load was increased. Up to 3.9 fold increase in the phase fraction of martensite, ~24% increase in microhardness from the as-received material and 100% higher dislocation density were observed at the worn surface of sample for the highest loading condition. Bending of grains, cracks were observed in sub-surface regions. The steel showed excellent wear resistance property arising from its great work hardening capability due to the transformation of metastable retained austenite to strain induced martensite. •Effect of varying loading conditions on microstructural evolution of a novel continuously cooled carbide free bainitic (CFB) steel was studied.•Different wear mechanisms were observed to have taken place with varying loading condition.•The incomplete transformation ofretained austenite to martensite at any specific load indicate different level of their stability.•Equivalent strain was calculated to estimate the extent of work hardened regions in the sub-surface level.•The steel on overall basis showed excellent wear resistance properties.