Enhancing wear resistance of R220 rail steels by quenching and partitioning (Q&P) treatment

GECÜ R.

Materials Letters, vol.354, 2024 (SCI-Expanded) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 354
  • Publication Date: 2024
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.matlet.2023.135400
  • Journal Name: Materials Letters
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Aerospace Database, Chemical Abstracts Core, Chimica, Communication Abstracts, Compendex, INSPEC, Metadex, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Keywords: Corrosion, Metals and alloys, Microstructure, Wear and tribology
  • Yıldız Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

In this study, R220 steels were subjected to the Q&P treatment after austenitization at 900 °C for 15 min. The austenitized samples were immersed in cold, warm, and boiled water baths. The quenching step was interrupted, and the specimens were immediately placed in a furnace at 500 °C and held there for 5 min. The multiphase structure, including tempered martensite, retained austenite, bainitic ferrite, and fresh martensite, was achieved by the Q&P treatment. The wear rate of the untreated R220 rail steel was decreased by up to 89 % with a slight increase in corrosion losses. The best wear resistance was obtained in the sample cooled in warm water due to the balance between its tensile strength, toughness, and hardness.