Tribological characteristics of magneto-rheological fluid for movement sensor application

The tribological characteristics of the surface for a movement sensor incorporating magneto-rheological (MR) fluid are critical for the overall sensing performance. In this technical note, a simplified experiment with a disc-on-disc friction apparatus is undertaken to investigate the frictional behaviour of counterfaces lubricated by MR fluid under a magnetic field. According to the practical operation environment, the sliding speed, nominal pressure and magnetic field are selected as experimental conditions. The friction force for the whole range of the sliding distance is measured by a friction tester, and the surfaces of the specimens are observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). It is shown that the tribological properties such as friction force depend on the experimental conditions such as sliding speed. The experimental results presented in this technical note are very helpful in simulations to design a new type of movement sensor with MR fluid.