On the enhancement of wear resistance of tool steels by cryogenic treatment

Abstract

The present article aims to resolve the debate on the degree of benefit of processing tool or die steels by cryogenic treatment. This has been done by measuring transition loads for quenched and tempered die steel with and without cryogenic treatment. The wide range of reported degrees of improvement of wear resistance by cryotreatment is explained by the operative modes and mechanisms of sliding wear considering the wear rate ratio of conventionally treated to cryotreated steels on a two-dimensional map.

Keywords:

• cryogenic treatment
• tool steel
• wear transition
• microstructural characterization
• wear

Acknowledgement

The financial assistance received from the University Grants Commission, Government of India [Grant no. F. No. 31-48/2005(SR)] to carry out a part of this research is gratefully acknowledged.