Destruction of Strain Hardened Steel Upon Abrasive Wear

— This article presents the results of generalization and further studies of regularities of destruction of strain hardened 40KhNMA steel upon sliding friction on an abrasive surface. It is established that the rheological parameter plays a leading role in the strength base of the abrasive wear of steel, its value similar to wear resistance does not depend on strain hardening of steel. Herewith, the mechanical component of contact interaction is the determinant. Permanence of the rheological parameter of deformed steel is determined by simultaneous changes of fracture toughness and thickness of the deformed layer, which occur with the same intensity. It has been demonstrated that the residual tension stresses in the wear surface increases with steel hardness upon all types and modes of deformation. Bulk defects of a crystalline structure have been studied after strain hardening and wearing of steel. It has been established that deformation treatment promotes an increase in the sizes and existence of bulk defects in the crystalline structure in steel. It has been mentioned that upon all types and modes of strain hardening the shape of wear particles was close to lamellar with a size similar to that of wear particles of heat hardened steel. The deformation treatment should be reasonably applied in order to improve hardness and bulk strength of 40KhNMA steel, whereas its application is unreasonable to improve wear resistance upon sliding friction on an abrasive monolith. In order to achieve a positive result, it is necessary to use hardening, which simultaneously increases resistance against plastic deformation and destruction of steel, being evaluated by an increase in the rheological parameter.