Unlocking Superior Wear Resistance in Cu-Modified Steels Through Enhanced Oxide Layer Adhesion
摘要
The present study investigated dry-sliding wear of two Cu-added (0.60 and 1.10 wt pct) martensitic steels under 10 and 50 N loads for railway applications. Initial hardness and load affected frictional heating, influencing oxide formation at the pin-disc interface. At 10 N, the 0.60 wt pct Cu specimen formed brittle Fe2O3 layer, having specific wear rate (SWR: 3.09 × 10−5 mm3 m−1 N−1). Contrary to earlier reports, the 1.10 wt pct Cu-steel at 50 N formed a self-lubricating Fe2O4 layer, significantly reducing the SWR (1.61 × 10−6 mm3 m−1 N−1).