Mechanical properties of metals are intrinsically determined by their electron behavior, which is largely reflected by the electron work function (EWF or phi). Since the work function varies with temperature, the dependence of material properties on temperature could be predicted via variations in work function with temperature. Combining a hardness - phi relationship and the dependence of work function on temperature, a temperature -dependent model for predicting solid -particle erosion is proposed. Erosive wear losses of copper, nickel, and carbon steel as sample materials were measured at different temperatures. Results of the tests are consistent with the theoretical prediction. This study demonstrates a promising parameter, electron work function, for looking into fundamental aspects of wear phenomena, which would also help develop alternative methodologies for material design. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.