Effect of lubrication by mineral and synthetic oils on the sliding wear of plasma nitrided AISI 410 stainless steel

Martensitic stainless steel. AISI 410 was surface hardened by plasma nitriding for enhancement of its wear properties. Wear tests were carried out on plasma nitrided 410 stainless-steel specimens under dry-sliding and lubricated conditions at room temperature, using a pin-on-cylinder wear-testing rig. Mineral oil. Mobil Super 2T, and synthetic oil, Mobil 1, were used as the lubricants. Results showed that the friction coefficient of 410 stainless steel was decreased and the wear resistance was increased significantly after plasma nitriding. Both mineral oil and synthetic oil were effective in controlling the friction and wear of nitrided 410 stainless steel as well as temperature rise during sliding. Synthetic oil was found to be superior to mineral oil especially under high sliding speeds and loads. X-ray imaging was used to inspect the worn specimen. The wear mechanisms for both untreated and nitrided specimens were mainly adhesion and delamination.