This study focused on investigating the friction performance of magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) with cosine wave surface structures in the presence of a magnetic field. First, a magneto-controlled friction model for such MREs was proposed, and the friction coefficient was determined based on the friction binomial theory and magnetic dipole theory. Then, the effects of the amplitude and wavelength parameters of the surface structure and magnetic field on the friction coefficient were analyzed. Second, the overall magneto-controlled friction performance of MREs with various surface structures and single-peak contact mechanical properties was assessed through the COMSOL Multiphysics finite element analysis. Finally, the single-peak contact mechanics experiments of MREs and MRE-glass sliding friction experiments were conducted. The results showed that the single-peak contact stiffness of MREs decreased with increasing amplitude and wavelength of the cosine wave surface structure decreasing, and was proportional to the equivalent elastic modulus. In addition, the friction coefficient decreased with increasing amplitude and decreasing wavelength of the MREs surface structure, which is consistent with the magneto-controlled friction model for MREs. Moreover, the variation rate of the friction coefficient was up to 41% under the dual regulation of different surface structure parameters and magnetic fields.

magnetorheological elastomers, friction coefficient, surface structure, contact stiffness