Reciprocating sliding wear of the sintered 316L stainless steel with boron additions

This work studies the tribological behavior of the 316L austenitic stainless steels alloyed with boron produced by conventional powder metallurgy process. Boron effect was investigated in terms of densification, microstructure, hardness, friction and wear behavior. 316L samples were prepared with 0.6 wt% and 0.8 wt% of boron. The microstructure of the sintered samples was examined by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The friction and wear behavior of the sintered materials was investigated using dry reciprocating sliding wear tests. Boron additions result in the formation of intergranular borides in the microstructure of the sintered 316L steel. The material densification is favored by the development of a liquid phase during sintering, promoting an increase in hardness and wear resistance of the 316L steel. No change in friction coefficient was obtaining with boron addition. The low plasticity index of the boride and the high dynamic sliding hardness of the boron-containing sample are responsible for the considerable reduction in the specific wear coefficient. Plasticity-dominated sliding wear by adhesive transfer and mild oxidative wear by metallic particle oxidation were the predominant wear mechanism in the worn surfaces of all sintered samples under dry reciprocating conditions. •The specific wear coefficient of 316L decreases with the increase in boron content.•Besides low porosity, the boron-alloyed 316L exhibits rounded and small pores.•Hard borides decrease the intensity of material removal by adhesive wear.•Borides change the sliding dynamic hardness and the plasticity index of 316L.