# Comparison of Abrasive Wear Resistance of Hardox Steel and Hadfield Cast Steel
###### Abstract  
Among the materials used for components subjected to abrasive wear, chromium cast iron, hardfaced layers, martensitic steels and Hadfield steel should be singled out. Each of these types of materials exhibits a different morphology of structure and strength properties. Hadfield steel, characterized by an austenitic microstructure, shows the ability to strengthen the subsurface layers by cold work, while maintaining a ductile core. Hardox steels belong to the group of low-alloy martensitic boron steels. However, it should be noted that increasing hardness does not always translate into low wear values due to a change in the nature of wear. In view of the above, the authors decided to subject selected Hardox steels and Hadfield cast steels in the post-operational condition to abrasive wear tests in the presence of loose abrasive. The study showed that Hardox Extreme steel exhibits the highest resistance to abrasive wear (value of the coefficient \(k_{b}\) is equal to 1.39). In the case of Hadfield steel, the recorded values are slightly lower (\(k_{b}\) = 1.32 and 1.33), while the above ratios remain higher compared to Hardox 600 and Hardox 500 steels. The main wear mechanism of high-manganese steels is microploughing, plastic deformation and breakouts of larger fragments of material. In the case of Hardox 450 and Hardox 500 steels, the predominant wear mechanisms are microploughing and breaking out of material fragments. As the hardness of the steel increases, the proportion of wear by microcutting and scratching predominates. [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], K. Comparison of Abrasive Wear Resistance of Hardox Steel and Hadfield Cast Steel. _Sci._Sci. ratio of 1:10. Parts made of Hadfield cast steels are subjected to saturation treatments--during heating to a temperature of about 1000 \({}^{\circ}\)C, dissolution of the cementite occurs, and then, as a result of rapid cooling, a single-phase structure is obtained. This prevents the precipitation of manganese cementite (Fe, Mn)\({}_{3}\)C coexisting with ferrite. As a result of the technological procedure carried out in this way, Hadfield cast steel is characterized by a high rate of work hardening, which is a consequence of plastic deformation (TWIP effect) or the decomposition of austenite into martensite (TRIP effect). Under the influence of dynamic loads causing plastic deformation, the subsurface layers of the component become mechanically strong (an increase in hardness level from about 210 to 500 HBW is observed), while the core retains high plastic properties, i.e., impact strength and ductility. Since the significant tendency to work hardening results in limited opportunities for subtractive machining, the material is often cast. The commercial designation of Hadfield cast steel, taking into account the basic manganese addition of 12%, is X120 Mn12 (steel) or L120G12M (casting). This material is used, among others, for railway switches, excavator baskets, jaw crushers or tractor track parts [5; 6]. Currently, numerous studies are focusing on modifying the chemical composition of high-manganese steels by adding carbide-forming elements that improve abrasive wear resistance and ensure the preservation of the austenitic structure by blocking the precipitation of manganese cementite [7; 8]. Moreover, Al addition is also advised to increase yield strength [9; 10]. According to [11; 12], the addition of vanadium at 8.1% and niobium at 4.5% can result in up to a threefold improvement in wear resistance during Miller slurry abrasivity tests. In the case of high-manganese steels, a separate problem is their tendency to become coarse-grained due to the lack of \(\alpha\) -> \(\gamma\) transformation. The above issue can be resolved by heat treatment [13].