Experimental investigations of friction and wear behaviour of eco friendly automotive brake friction composites

Abstract

Brake pads are one of the essential safety components in a braking system of an automobile. A brake pad is, typically, a combination of any friction material bonded with a steel back plate. Automobile brake friction materials are a constitution of multiple ingredients, in order to meet the desirable performance properties. Asbestos is known to be a harmful content and banned for being used as an ingredient to produce brake pads because it can cause lung cancer and other health problems. There is always a need for the development of nonasbestos Brake Friction Materials (BFM) that do not contain any toxic and noxious components. Development of bio-based (Eco-friendly) materials with desired properties is a trending subject of research across the globe. Because the market is flooded with various options for brake pad materials, it is imperative that the vehicle manufacturers choose the right pad material with great care not only to ensure the optimal functioning of the braking system but also passenger safety. Mechanical and tribological properties of brake pads contribute greatly to their effectiveness. There is a requirement to choose the proper material for a certain application that has a consistent friction coefficient and reduced wear. Copper is used as functional filler in various forms in the friction material formulation. Because of its hazardous impact to the aquatic life, a suitable replacement of Cu is the focus of this research. The formulation of (BFM) requires the skills to select suitable ingredients and its optimized content to meet the multiple performance criteria. This includes achieving an adequate and stable friction coefficient (µ), lesser wear on the friction material, counter friendliness to the disc surface and minimizing its sensitivity to fade and recovery characteristics newline