Effect of external magnetic field on the fretting wear mechanism of the ferromagnetic materials

With the widespread implementation of maglev technology in fields such as rail transit and military, it is imperative to investigate the effects of magnetic fields on fretting damage in metallic materials. This study conducted multi-parameter fretting wear tests on typical ferromagnetic counterparts in the presence of an external permanent magnetic field. Subsequently, the wear behavior and damage mechanism of the fretting interface were elucidated through multi-scale characterization analysis. The results indicated that the operation state of the fretting interface was shifted towards the partial slip regime under the magnetic field. Meanwhile, the external magnetic field transformed the dominant wear mechanism from abrasive wear to adhesive wear. The influence of the external magnetic field on fretting wear has been demonstrated to manifest in dual aspects: Firstly, the Hertzian contact stress at the interface is enhanced by the magnetic field induction force, resulting in a remarkable reduction of about 79.83% in accumulated dissipation energy; Secondly, the effectiveness of debris being expelled from the worn interface decreased, and the wear progression was further impeded by the accumulated debris, so that the abrasion loss is significantly reduced by about 60.66 %. These findings provide valuable theoretical data and practical reference for the protection of fretting damage in ferromagnetic materials under the action of a magnetic field.