The wear behavior of 316L composites reinforced with up to 60% of SiC particles (SiCp) additively

manufactured by direct laser deposition (DLD) has been evaluated. The influence of the variation in the

SiC reinforcement percentage has been evaluated and compared with non-reinforced 316L stainless

steel. Pin-on-disc configuration was chosen to perform the wear tests. The microstructure and

microhardness of the samples have been studied; and the friction coefficient, wear rate, together with

the pin and disc mass loss, have been measured and correlated with them. The worn surfaces and the

debris originated from each sample test were observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM)

and a 3D optic profilometer so that the wear mechanisms have been determined. An increment in the

SiCp content results in a better wear performance in which the composite mass loss decreases while

the disc mass loss increases. Composite with 40 wt.% SiCp shows hardness that is five-fold that of the

316L and a ten-fold wear resistance. For 60 wt.% SiC content, the presence of graphite also reduced the

friction coefficient. The incorporation of SiCp changes the wear mechanism from adhesive type for

unreinforced 316L to abrasive, delamination, and oxidative type for reinforced composites.