Anti-wear Properties of Iron-Carbon Hard Alloy Coatings for Working Bodies of Tillage Machinery

The development of new wear-resistant hard-alloy compositions for hardfacing the working surfaces of components operating in highly abrasive environments, particularly soil, is one of the most effective strategies for mitigating abrasive wear and its effects. Industrially produced iron–carbon-based hard alloys have relatively low abrasive wear resistance. (Research purpose) To develop new hard alloys based on high-alloy cast irons that increase wear resistance and improve the efficiency of hardfacing coatings applied to wear-prone components of tillage machinery. (Materials and methods) A priori analysis indicates that increasing boron content generally enhances the abrasion resistance of steels and hard alloys. However, the specific effects of boron alloying, particularly in iron–carbon-based hard alloys, remain complex and insufficiently studied. Based on previous research, the recommended boron content in such alloys ranges from 0.5 to 6.0 percent. This study also explores the combined effect of boron alloying with manganese and nickel. The research methodology included comparative laboratory and operational field life testing of specimens and full-scale components coated with various types of hard-alloy overlays. (Results and discussion) Four newly developed boron-containing hard alloys were evaluated through comparative laboratory and field tests. Among them, the alloy designated PR-FB3Kh showed the highest performance, demonstrating up to 1.6 times higher relative wear resistance when applied by hardfacing, compared to the leading industrially produced alloy PG-FBKh-6-2. In certain applications, these new alloys may serve as cost-effective alternatives to industrially produced hard-alloy compositions containing expensive cast tungsten carbide additives. (Conclusions) As a result of the research and testing, two new alloys PR-FB3Kh and PR-FB2.5Kh were developed. These alloys are distinguished primarily by their elevated boron content (up to 3.2 percent) and high wear resistance. They present a high-quality, cost-effective alternative to conventional iron-carbon-based alloys that incorporate cast tungsten carbide (WC).