Achieving high impact–abrasion–corrosion resistance of high–chromium wear–resistant steel via vanadium additions

In this study, four high-chromium wear-resistant steels with varying vanadium contents were prepared. Their mechanical properties, corrosion behaviour and impact–abrasion–corrosion behaviour were comprehensively investigated in a simulated corrosive slurry environment. The result indicated the effectiveness of vanadium in enhancing the impact toughness of the steel. Notably, high-chromium steel with 0.2% vanadium exhibited notable characteristics, including a Rockwell hardness of 56.2 HRC and an impact toughness of 113.5 J. Introducing vanadium enhanced the corrosion resistance of high-chromium steels in electrochemical experiments. In terms of impact–abrasion–corrosion performance, the high-chromium steel containing 0.2% vanadium exhibited the highest resistance to impact–abrasion–corrosion when subjected to both the impact energies of 3 J and 6 J. Comprehensive examinations of surface and cross-sectional damage, coupled with detailed microstructure and microhardness analyses, revealed that the development of a white etching layer on the material's surface is crucial to enhancing its resistance to impact–abrasion–corrosion.