Temperature-Dependent Wear Characteristics of a High-Voltage Low-Current Electric Energy-Treated AISI 1080 Steel

The temperature-dependent dry sliding wear behavior against an alumina disk is investigated for a novel high-voltage low-current electric energy-treated AISI 1080 steel in comparison with the conventionally treated (patented-cum-cold drawn) AISI 1080 steel up to a test temperature of 60 °C. The conventionally treated steel is found to suffer from an accentuated wear loss with increasing test temperature. This is attributed to the thermal softening effect together with the breakdown of oxide layer so as to aggravate abrasive wear through microcutting and microplowing mechanism alongside plastic flow of metal. In contrast, in case of high-voltage low-current electric energy-treated AISI 1080 steel, a typical tribo-oxide layer of FeAl 2 O 4 is developed at 60 °C. As a result, the surface friction and the surface temperature are brought down to obviate the thermal softening effect. This causes an arrest in wear loss at 60 °C.