Effect of tensile properties on the abrasive wear of steel saw wires used for silicon ingot slicing

The abrasive wear patterns and the tensile properties of steel saw wires (120 mu m in diameter) were investigated in order to develop highly reliable saw wires for the application to silicon (Si) ingot slicing. Saw wires that underwent heat treatment at different linear velocities during the patenting process were subjected to 2-body abrasive wear (2-BAW) and 3-body abrasive wear (3-BAW) tests. The 2-BAW and 3-BAW tests of the saw wires showed opposite trends in abrasive wear resistance. The wear loss resulting from the 2-BAW test was mainly determined by the tensile strength and microhardness of the steel saw wire samples, while the wear loss from the 3-BAW test was primarily determined by the elongation, or ductility, of the samples. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.