Tribological Properties of Ceramic Composite Friction Materials Reinforced by Carbon Fibers

Because the running speed of vehicles is increasing and a shorter braking distance is required, high heat-resistant brake pads are needed to satisfy the requirements of customers and car makers. In the near future, hazardous materials such as Cu, Cr, Zn, and Sb will be restricted from use in friction materials. Ceramic composites reinforced by carbon fibers are good candidates for eco-friendly friction materials. In this study, we develop ceramic composite friction materials. The friction materials are composed of carbon fibers, Si, SiC, graphite, and phenol resin and are prepared by hot forming and heat treatment at high temperatures. The density, void ratio, and compressive strength are $1.59-1.66g/cm^3$, 16.6-20, and 70-90 MPa, respectively. Friction and wear tests are performed using a pin-on-plate-type reciprocating friction tester at 25, 100, and $200^{\circ}C$. The counterpart material is a CrMoV steel extracted from a KTX brake disc. Friction coefficient, wear amount, and wear mechanism are measured and examined. We determine that the friction coefficients depend on the temperature and the fluctuation of the friction coefficients is larger at higher temperatures. The amount of wear increases with the surface temperatures of the specimens. The tribological properties of the developed composites are similar to those of a Cu-based sintered friction material. Through this study, it is confirmed that ceramic composite materials can be used as friction materials.