Study on the friction and wear performance of TiC-reinforced steel matrix/U71Mn composite material applied to railway train anti-sliding device

Purpose Inner-support type parking anti-slip devices are widely used in railway systems because of their compact structure and high operational safety. As the key component of the wheel–rail friction pair, the braking rail directly affects braking reliability and wheel wear. This study aims to develop a TiC-reinforced steel matrix/U71Mn composite material with high coefficient of friction (COF) and low wheel damage for application as a braking rail material. Design/methodology/approach A TiC/steel matrix alloy was first prepared by powder metallurgy and subsequently combined with U71Mn steel through vacuum casting to fabricate the composite material. To simulate the operating conditions of the wheel–rail friction pair, COF and wear tests were conducted on different candidate materials under various working conditions. The tribological performance of the materials was evaluated through comparative analyses of COF, wear behavior and microscopic interface morphology. Findings The results of this study demonstrated that the wheel–TiC-reinforced steel matrix/U71Mn composite friction pair exhibited superior tribological performance compared with the other candidate materials. The composite maintained a relatively high and stable COF while significantly reducing wheel wear, indicating excellent friction stability and wear resistance under low-speed braking conditions. Originality/value This study proposes a TiC-reinforced steel matrix/U71Mn composite braking rail material and establishes an equivalent experimental method for simulating locomotive parking-braking conditions. The developed material satisfies the dual requirements of high COF and low wheel wear, providing a promising alternative to conventional braking rail materials for railway parking anti-slip systems. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-11-2025-0537/