Development of the brake pads for the brakes using C/C-SiC composite disks
Project duration
2003 - 2006
Project Category
SLO
Contact Information
Partners
- MS Production (Slovenija)
In the proposed project, we will investigate the friction and wear mechanisms of brake pad materials made form metal-matrix composites. They will be tested against a C/C-SiC composite, already used for disks in racing motorcycles. The composition of pad materials will be systematically varied, alowing us to investigate the effect of pad material composition on the tribological performance of the system. Based on the determined mechanisms in different operating regimes, the pad materials will be optimized for the speciffic conditions, i.e. those in racing motorcycles.
C/C-SiC composites are attractive materials for brake disks due to their low weight compared to conventional metal disks, they can operate at elevated temperatures and have, compared to carbon-based disks, lower wear and consequently longer lifetime, which is essential for using these brakes not only in racing vehicles but also in serial/mass production. For the speciffic disks materials, the counter brake pads must be made from appropriate material in order to achieve succesful operation of such brakes. Present results and experience show that currently used brake pads for carbon-based or conventional systems do not fulfill the necessary requirements when used in pairs with C/C-SiC disks. Due to high wear, in-appropriate coefficient of friction in certain operational temperature ranges and other non-favourable dynamic properties, such brake pads cannot be used in proposed systems and this limits their broader use or use for serial/mass production cars.
Such brake systems are already produced by the industrial partner in the project and is expected that this application will still be very attractive application also in the near future. We will use different tribological tests, mechanical, topographical and various microscopical analyses of the new and worn surfaces. The best performing combinations will be further tested and validated in more real - bench testers and also in the field test using the racing motorcycle.