Combined effects of material selection and surface engineering on the wear behavior of glass crusher blades in deposit return systems

Abstract The wear behavior of glass crusher blades used in deposit return systems was investigated by evaluating the combined effects of material selection and surface engineering. Eight different steels were tested under simulated glass-crushing conditions using a custom-designed wear rig. Carburizing and plasma nitriding treatments were applied to selected materials to improve surface properties. Microstructural and microhardness analyses revealed that carburizing produced a hardened surface layer with a pronounced hardness gradient, while plasma nitriding was effective only in alloy steels such as AISI 4140. Wear results showed that tempered martensitic steels exhibited superior performance, whereas ferrite–pearlite steels were more susceptible to material removal. Carburizing significantly improved the wear resistance of low-carbon steels, while plasma nitriding provided the greatest benefit for alloy steels. Overall, the results indicate that wear resistance is governed by a combination of hardness, microstructural stability, and toughness rather than hardness alone.