A comparative study of corrosion property, tribological behavior and cutting performance of tool materials for the cutting of marine high-strength steels in the marine environment

To select the optimum tool material for the cutting of marine high-strength steels using a hole-opening equipment in the marine environment, this article conducted a comparative study on the corrosion property, tribological behavior and cutting performance of cermet, cemented carbide and coated tools. The results reveal that the coated tool materials have good corrosion resistance with coating protection, and poor wear resistance with adhesive and corrosive wear in artificial seawater, and present moderate cutting performance. In addition, the cemented carbide tool materials show poor corrosion resistance and good wear resistance due to the lubrication effect of corrosion products in artificial seawater, but have bad cutting performance with a high flank wear value. Moreover, the cermet tool materials present acceptable corrosion and wear resistance with adhesive and corrosive wear in artificial seawater and have the excellent cutting performance. Taking into account the corrosion resistance, wear resistance and cutting performance of tool materials and regarding cutting performance as an important indicator, the cermet tool materials with superior comprehensive performances are suitable for the cutting of marine high-strength steels in the marine environment.