Design of Ceramic Brake Pads and Disks

Ceramic Matrix Composites manufactured via the melt infiltration of silicon into carbon/carbon (LSI-process) show superior tribological properties in comparison to grey cast iron or carbon/ carbon. In combination with their low density, high thermal shock resistance and good abrasive resistance, these C/C-SiC composites are promising candidates for advanced friction systems. Based on different short as well as continuous carbon fibre reinforcements, the CMC microstructure can be modified in terms of phase composition and morphology resulting in a big variety of thermomechanical as well as tribological properties. In combination with new design approaches cost-efficient manufacturing processes have been developed and have lead to successfully tested prototypes of brake pads and disks.