LOW-AMPLITUDE RECIPROCATING WEAR OF SINTERED IRON

The unlubricated wear, self-on-self, of sintered iron due to reciprocating motion has been investigated. Wrought, low-carbon steel have also been studied under identical conditions for comparison. The general characteristics of the wear process for the sintered material are similar to those observed for wrought material. Wear is more severe when the load is increased and when the amplitude is increased in the range up to about 250 mum. Further increases in amplitude brought about less marked increases in wear, until, ultimately, wear became independent of amplitude. At high sliding speeds, sintered iron loses more weight than does mild steel. At slow speeds, sintered iron loses weight less rapidly than does mild steel. The observations are interpreted in the light of oxide formation on the bearing surfaces and of observations of wear debris accumulated in surface breaking pores.