Dry sliding wear behavior of Fe3Al alloys prepared by mechanical alloying and plasma activated sintering

Room dry sliding wear behavior of ultrafine grained Fe3Al alloys prepared by mechanical alloying with subsequent plasma activated sintering was investigated on a pin-on-disk wear tester using Fe3Al alloys pins and AISI 304 stainless steel discs. The results showed that hardness and wear resistance of Fe3Al alloys were enhanced owing to fine microstructure and precipitation of hard Fe3AlC0.5.Volume wear rate of Fe3Al alloys increased as applied load increased, to a peak at 30 N, and then decreased. Moreover, it decreased with the increase of sliding speed. Worn surface of Fe3Al alloys and wear debris were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy. It was found that stainless steel transferred to the worn surface of Fe3Al alloys during sliding. Applied load and sliding speed had different effect on incrassation and peeling-off of transfer layers, thus causing different wear rate tendency of Fe3Al alloys.