Wear behaviour of microwave surface-treated AISI 1018 steel under dry sliding conditions

Purpose Surface hardness and wear resistance of steel components are critical for ensuring reliable performance and extended service life. The purpose of this study is to enhance the surface hardness and tribological performance of low-carbon steel (AISI 1018) through an energy-efficient microwave surface treatment technique and to investigate its effectiveness under dry sliding wear conditions. Design/methodology/approach Microwave surface treatment was carried out using a domestic microwave applicator with exposure time ranging from 480 to 600 s. A novel dual-layer susceptor system comprising charcoal and graphite powder was used to achieve uniform and rapid heating. After microwave heating, the specimens were quenched at room temperature to promote martensitic transformation at the surface. Microstructural and phase analysis were performed using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction to identify phase changes. Dry sliding wear tests were conducted using a pin-on-disc tribometer. Findings Microstructural and phase analysis confirmed the transformation of ferrite phases to martensite phases after the microwave surface treatment that resulted in ∼1.5 times increase in surface microhardness (330 ± 30 HV microwave surface treated and 193 ± 15 HV as-received). The microwave surface-treated samples exhibited a consistent reduction in weight loss compared to untreated steel during the wear tests. At 30 N, 1 m/s and 2,000 m distance, microwave-treated steel showed a wear rate of 0.00330 mm³/m because of the formation of a stable oxide tribolayer. This is 96.53% less compared to the as-received steel (0.0950 mm³/m). Originality/value This study highlights microwave hybrid heating as a sustainable and energy-efficient technique for surface treatment of low-carbon steels. The use of a dual-layer susceptor system facilitates rapid surface modification within 480–600 s that leads to ∼1.5 times increase in microhardness and reduces the wear rate by ∼94% across all loads and speeds, thereby enhancing the tribological performance. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: Link to the cited article.