Characteristics of magneto-rheological elastomer under stick-slip condition

This paper examines the characteristics of stick-slip phenomena between the glass plate and Magneto-Rheological Elastomer (MRE) surface. Stick-slip phenomena are the spontaneous jerking motion that occurs while two objects are sliding over each other, usually accompanied by noise. Stick-slip is generated when it involves discontinuous frictional degradation when moving from static friction to dynamic friction. The phenomena can lead to uneven wear patterns, vibration and squeal noise which cause a shorter lifespan for the corresponding mechanical elements. MREs are kind of function materials to consist of a polymeric matrix with embedded ferromagnetic particles. Mechanical properties of the MREs can be controlled by the application of magnetic fields. The magnetic field-based controllability can be applied to the control of stick-slip phenomena. The friction experiment is conducted with the Reciprocating Friction Tester (RFT). The sliding speed of the RFT should be in low-speed conditions in order to make the stick-slips relatively easy to occur. A uniform magnetic field and a weight load are applied to the MRE sample to observe the effect of various experimental parameters on the movement of the stick-slip. In addition, frictional sounds due to the stick-slip phenomenon under different loads and magnetic field strength are measured and analyzed. The results of this experiment show that as the strength of the magnetic field increases, the difference in stiffness between the wipers-glass decreases, mitigating fricatives. The result is expected to be well applied to low-noise automotive wipers based on the controllability of friction behavior and squeal noise.