The atmosphere components have an influence on tribological behaviors of tribo-pairs. Through changing the atmosphere component, the effect of atmosphere component on the tribological behaviors of CrNiMo steel against brass at high sliding velocity was investigated. The wear test was carried out on a high-speed friction and wear test rig whose test atmosphere could be controlled. The tests were performed at four sliding velocities (30, 40, 50, 60 m/s), one contact pressure (1.33 MPa) and two atmosphere components (N2 or O2). The morphologies of the worn surfaces of various pins were observed with a scanning electron microscope. The chemical compositions of the surfaces and subsurfaces for steels were determined with an energy dispersion spectroscopy. The results showed that the wear rate of the steel pins were low all the time with the sliding velocity increasing in oxygen atmosphere, and that the wear rate of the steel pin in nitrogen atmosphere was higher than that of the steel pin in oxygen atmosphere. It was found that the thin and compact oxidation layer formed on the worn surface of the steel in oxygen atmosphere played a key role in wear resistance. However, the wear rate of the steel pin increased rapidly with the sliding velocity increasing in nitrogen atmosphere, which was attributed to the thick and loose surface layer formed on the worn surface of the steel.
