Tribological properties of hardened high strength Boron steel at combined rolling and sliding condition

The use of hardened high strength steel is found in applications where high wear resistance is required. The wear properties of high strength Boron steel are well known in applications with abrasive wear from stones, ore and other hard material. A unique concept of wear protection of rails is newly presented, a wear resistant cap made of hardened high strength Boron steel. Reducing the wear of rails and wheels and controlling the frictional behavior in the wheel/rail contact are two key issues for railway owners in order to reduce the increasing costs related to higher axle loads, higher speeds, more frequent traffic, etc. Therefore, the aim of this work has been to investigate and compare the tribological properties of Boron steel and UIC 1100 rail steel in contact with Blue Light wheel steel (AAR Class C (69-JDG-8)) under dry and water lubricated conditions in a two-disc tribometer. Advanced analytical instruments including 3D optical surface profiler, micro-hardness indenter, light microscope and SEM/EDS were used to analyze the results.