Investigations on thermal and tribological behaviour of phenolic friction composites

Abstract

The friction composites employed for a vechicle braking system newlinecomprise reinforcement fiber, organic polymer binders, and fillers, which are newlineused to achieve the required amalgam properties. The primary characteristic of newlinebrake friction composite is friction coefficient (µ), which affects the safety of newlinebraking in a vehicle; the secondary characteristic is the wear between the newlinefriction surfaces that causes damage to the friction composites. At the friction newlineinterface of brake pads in a vehicle, the wear occurs due to hard debris newlineparticles; inflow and entrapment of sand particles is a major industrial newlineproblem. Therefore, to create effective brake friction composites, optimizing a newlinerange of performance characteristics is necessary. It includes achieving a newlinereliable and sufficient friction coefficient (µ), minimizing wear, and reducing newlinesensitivity to brake operating parameters to ensure low fade and high recovery newlinecharacteristics. Among the various factors, resistance to fade is difficult to newlineachieve. In addition, the components of non-asbestos organic brake friction newlinecomposites, such as organic reinforcement fibers, binders, cashew-friction newlinedust, and fillers, are vulnerable to thermal degradation. It can lead to issues newlinelike charring, glazing, and, ultimately, deterioration in friction performance. newlineThe composition of brake friction composites was analyzed through newlineexperimentation to determine the type and amount of each ingredient. Box newlineBehnken Design (BBD) in RSM-Response Surface Methodology is used to newlineoptimize and determine the optimal test parameters. newlineMost tribological applications demand brake friction materials, newlinewhich can reliably perform at elevated temperatures and have better load newlinecarrying capacity besides improved friction and wear properties. newline