Abstract <p>The wear resistance of medium manganese steel BTW1 and martensitic steel NM500 under the same working conditions was compared and analyzed by friction and wear experiments. The results show that BTW1 material exhibits better wear resistance. In order to further study its application value in mining machinery equipment, this study simulated four working conditions of dry friction, deionized water, acidic and alkaline solutions, systematically studied the friction and wear properties and microstructure of BTW1, and deeply analyzed its wear mechanism under different working conditions. The mechanical properties and microstructure of BTW1 samples were characterized by friction and wear tester combined with SEM (scanning electron microscope) and EBSD (electron backscatter diffraction) techniques. Key findings show: BTW1 average friction coefficient in solutions is significantly lower than under dry friction, acidic solution caused the smallest wear scar depth/width and minimal corrosion, and EBSD analysis indicated pronounced subsurface grain refinement in acidic medium. This condition also yielded the highest average grain boundary angle, the lowest average KAM value, and superior microstructural stability. This study identifies BTW1 as a viable wear-resistant material for mining equipment in acidic environments and provides a theoretical basis for optimizing medium manganese steel performance under specific conditions.</p>