Ambient temperature effect on wear: Experimental insights into EH36 steel under Arctic conditions

Abstract

This study investigated the dry sliding abrasion wear behavior of EH36-grade marine steel at room temperature (RT), 0 degrees C, and -40 degrees C under nominal loads of 10 N, 20 N, and 30 N, corresponding to different contact pressure levels. Wear volume loss (V), wear rate (W), wear coefficient (k), coefficient of friction (COF), and SEM/EDS analyses were evaluated to determine the governing wear mechanisms. At RT and 0 degrees C, wear parameters increased progressively with increasing contact pressure, and the calculated wear coefficient values remained within the typical range of mild wear regimes. However, at -40 degrees C, a pronounced increase in wear rate and wear coefficient was observed despite relatively moderate contact pressure values, indicating a transition to a severe wear regime driven by temperature-induced embrittlement. Surface examinations revealed intensified microcrack formation, fragmentation, and tribo-oxidative damage at -40 degrees C. Overall, the results demonstrate that the tribological performance of EH36 steel in Arctic environments cannot be evaluated solely based on nominal load. Instead, the combined influence of contact pressure and temperature-dependent material response must be considered when defining safe operational limits for low-temperature applications.