Effect of Rockwool and Steel fiber on the Friction Performance of Brake Lining Materials

Resumo

Abstract

Wear resistance and Frictional stability are key performance requirements for brake lining. Automotive brake linings are usually made of various ingredients such as binder, filler, friction modifiers and reinforcement. Rockwool is a mineral fiber and steel fiber is a metallic fiber. In this work reinforcement fibers used are both the mineral and metallic fibers with six different composition prepared and tested. The result shows that metallic fibers should be high compared to mineral fiber for best frictional performance and wear resistance. Friction-wear properties of the reinforced samples were investigated on the cast iron disc as a counterpart using a pin on disc wear tester. The investigation confirmed that the sample with increase in steel fiber (4%, 8% and 12%) improves the wear resistance. On the other hand specimen with high content of Rockwool fiber forms an improper ratio among the other ingredients. The SEM images of the sample indicated that an increase in steel fiber higher than 12% content resulted in adhesive wear.Analysis of the experimental result shows that the sample with 12% steel fiber and 8% Rockwool fiber exhibited the optimum friction-wear behavior. Finally the effect of environment on the composites was investigated in water, salt water and oil.

Keywords: Brakes, rolling friction, steel fibre, rockwool fibre, EDS, SEM