Effect of silicon on the, structure, tribological behavior, and mechanical properties of nitrogen-containing chromium-manganese austenitic steels

The effect of additions of 3.5-4.5 wt % silicon on the tribological behavior of nitrogen-containing (0.20-0.52 wt % nitrogen) chromium-manganese austenitic steels under the conditions of dry sliding friction of the steel-steel and steel-abradant pairs was studied. The mechanical properties and the corrosion-cracking resistance of the steels were determined. The metallographic, X-ray diffraction, and electron-microscopic methods were used to investigate the structural transformations occur-ring in the steels upon frictional loading and static tension. The additional alloying of the nitrogen-containing chromium-manganese austenitic steels with silicon was shown to substantially increase their resistance to adhesive wear with the retention of a low friction coefficient (f = 0.25-0.33). The advantageous effect of silicon on the tribological behavior of the steels is related to the activation of planar slip with increasing strength and heat resistance of austenite. The favorable combination of the tribological and mechanical properties of the steels allows us to consider them to be promising materials for effective application in assemblies operating under complicated conditions of sliding friction and loading (high and rapid loading, corrosion environment, etc.).