Development and optimization of novel wear-resistant manganese steels with ceramic reinforcements

NSERC-CRD的这项拨款申请旨在促进不列颠哥伦比亚大学(UBC)的金属铸造和材料开发研究小组与Unicast Inc.之间的合作。研究团队寻求共同努力，对目前用于各种采矿、岩石粉碎和加工应用的高锰(Mn)钢的行为进行基础科学的了解。在基础知识的基础上，研究小组将探索使用新的添加剂和合金化合物来进一步提高新型钢合金的机械性能和控制微观结构。Monicast Inc.是加拿大制造用于各种技术系统和应用的锰钢铸件的领先者。由于目前可用的锰钢合金正在达到其性能极限，因此有必要对材料的开发和表征进行新的研究和开发。在这方面，Unicast Inc.和UBC将在UBC的金属铸造实验室和表征设施中联合研究、制造和测试新的锰钢合金。所有实验将使用基准材料(ASTM A128 A级)。然后，通过添加适当的锰、铬(Cr)和钼(Mo)，这种基线材料的组成将发生变化。这些添加剂的目的是提高合金的机械性能、韧性和耐磨性。此外，还将研究在胎体材料中成功结合碳化钛(TiC)镶件的可行性。预计研究成果将生产出性能优异的合金，这反过来将使许多采矿作业受益(从破碎机到碎石机，再到水泥工业中使用的粉碎机)。凭借优越的技术优势，Unicast公司将能够支持加拿大制造业和采矿业实现更高的效率(减少停机时间)和更好的运营经济性。这一CRD项目还为学生提供了在加拿大几个关键部门接受与材料开发相关的研发培训的绝佳机会。

This NSERC-CRD grant application seeks to enable a collaboration between the metalcasting and materials development research groups at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Unicast Inc. The research teams seek to jointly work on developing a fundamental scientific understanding of the behavior of high manganese (Mn) steels currently used for diverse mining, rock crushing and processing applications. Building on the fundamental knowledge, the research team will explore the use of new additives and alloy compounds to further enhance the mechanical performance and control the microstructure of new steel alloys. Unicast Inc. is Canada's leader in the manufacture of manganese steel castings for diverse technological systems and applications. Since the currently available Mn steel alloys are reaching their performance limits, it is essential that new R&D into material development and characterization is undertaken. In this regard, Unicast Inc. and UBC will jointly study, fabricate and test new Mn-steel alloys at UBC's metalcasting laboratory and characterization facilities. A baseline material (ASTM A128 Grade A) will be used for all experiments. The composition of this baseline material will then be varied with suitable addition of manganese, chromium (Cr) and molybdenum (Mo). The goal of these additives is to enhance the mechanical performance of the alloy, toughness and abrasion resistance. Further, the feasibility of successfully incorporating Titanium Carbide (TiC) inserts in the matrix material will be also examined. The research outcomes are expected to yield alloys with superior performance, which in turn will benefit many mining operations (from crushers, to rock sizers, to pulverizers used in the cement industries). With superior and technological advantage, Unicast Inc. will be able to support the Canadian manufacturing and mining industries to achieve enhanced efficiency (less down-time) and improved economy of operations. This CRD program also offers outstanding opportunities for students to be trained in R&D related to materials development for several of Canada's key sectors.