A Comparative Study on Experimental and FEA-Based Simulation of Dry Sliding Wear Behavior of Boronized AISI 304 Stainless Steel at Elevated Temperatures

In this study, the influence of boronizing on the high-temperature wear behavior of AISI 304 was examined experimentally and with FEA simulation. Boronizing, conducted at 950°C for 3 h using the powder-pack boronizing technique, showed an approximately 7-fold increase in hardness compared to untreated sample. Boride layer characterization was performed using XRD, SEM, and EDS line analyses. Wear tests were performed at ambient temperatures of 25, 250, and 500°C. While the wear rates of the untreated sample increased dramatically with increasing temperature, those of the boronized samples were significantly limited. FEA simulation using the Johnson–Cook fracture model demonstrated a high degree of consistency with the experimental wear profiles and this alignment enables reliable wear predictions. The oxide layer formation was observed on the worn surface of boronized samples during the tests at elevated temperatures, resulting in less plastic deformation.