Affiliation:
1. School of Mechanical Engineering Zhejiang Sci‐Tech University Hangzhou 310018 Zhejiang P. R. China
2. Automotive Tribology Center Department of Mechanical Engineering School of Engineering and Computer Science Oakland University Rochester 48309 Michigan USA
3. Zhejiang Sci‐Tech University Shengzhou Innovation Research Institute Shengzhou 312400 Zhejiang P. R. China
4. Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials Department of Materials Science and Engineering Jilin University Changchun 130025 Jilin P. R. China
Abstract
Excellent wear properties can improve the service performance and service life of high‐Cr hot work die steels. Herein, an innovative method is proposed to introduce TiC nanoparticles into the matrix of high‐Cr hot work die steels, and the effects of TiC nanoparticles on the microstructure and wear resistance of high‐Cr hot work die steels are investigated. In isothermal spheroidizing and quenching and tempering heat treatments, the TiC nanoparticles refine the granular pearlite, tempered martensite, and precipitates, which are attributed to the improved nucleation rates by increasing the number of heterogeneous cores. In sliding wear tests, the nanoparticle‐reinforced high‐Cr hot work die steels show higher wear resistance under the temperatures of 20 and 400 °C. The better wear properties of high‐Cr hot work die steels are because the substrates are strengthened and toughened, the dislocations are hindered, the mating areas are partially separated, and external loads are withstood by nanoparticles. This work shows new prospects for the development of high‐Cr hot work die steels with excellent wear performance.