Parametric Effects of Moisture On the Coefficient 0f Friction of a Novel Composite Material for Automobile Brake Lining (Published)
Automobile brake lining, a friction material has over the years been produced mainly from asbestos. The health problems of asbestos necessitated the need to source friction-lining materials from other safer directions. A novel composite from local materials was developed. The production was a dispersion hardening process using the techniques of powder metallurgy of finely divided particles of the raw materials powder mix. The raw materials included sawdust, resin, rubber latex, clay, carbon black, brass chips, zinc oxide, and sulphur. The effect of moisture on the coefficient of friction μs was analyzed in comparison with known brake lining material- Ferodo. The immersion of both materials in water for a few minutes and testing each with pressures of 100KPa and 200KPa corresponding to normal forces of 400N and 800N respectively was done. The gradual decreasing rate of the coefficients of friction μs for both Ferodo and Novel Samples (after shoot-up at removing them from water into air) was the reversing back recovery process of their friction coefficients μs to pre-immersion values of 0.39 for dry Ferodo and 0.42 for the dry Novel Sample respectively. This average recovery process showed an overall positive comparison of the average responses of the Novel Sample against Ferodo. Furthermore, the curves of 100KPa for the vertical normal force W of 400N and the curves of 200KPa for the vertical normal force W of 800N, and their corresponding horizontal forces Fs were essentially similar because Fs is proportional to W.
Keywords: Effects, Materials, brake lining, coefficient of friction, moisture