Preparation and Performance Study of SiC-Reinforced Fe-Based Wear-Resistant Composite Grinding Media

Area of Science:

• Materials Science and Engineering
• Powder Metallurgy
• Tribology

Background:

• Grinding media in industrial and laboratory processes experience severe wear due to high-collision and friction environments.
• Existing grinding media, such as chromium-based alternatives, face limitations in wear performance and longevity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate novel silicon carbide (SiC)-reinforced iron-based composite grinding media.
• To enhance wear resistance and grinding efficiency compared to traditional chromium-based media.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of composite grinding media using powder metallurgy via hot-pressing sintering of Fe with 10 wt% SiC powders at 1100 °C.
• Microstructural and phase analysis using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction.
• Comparative performance evaluation of wear rate and grinding efficiency against chromium-based media using various abrasives (standard sand, sandstone, iron slag).

Main Results:

• SiC-reinforced composite media demonstrated significantly superior wear resistance, with wear rate reductions of 2.3-2.9 times (1h) and 2.4-3.1 times (3h) against different abrasives compared to chromium-based media.
• Grinding efficiency improvements of 7.4-17.5% were observed for the composite media at material ratios of 1:1 and 3:1.
• The composite media exhibited enhanced performance across multiple abrasive types, indicating broad applicability.

Conclusions:

• Hot-pressing sintering of SiC-reinforced Fe-based composites is an effective method for producing high-performance grinding media.
• The developed composite grinding media offer substantial improvements in wear resistance and grinding efficiency over conventional chromium-based media.
• These findings suggest a promising alternative for demanding industrial grinding applications.