Automotive brake friction composite materials using natural Grewia Optiva fibers

Abstract

There have been growing concerns over using non-renewable resources while manufacturing goods and related environmental laws worldwide. As part of efforts to reduce dependence on non-renewable resources, the uses of natural resources in brake friction materials are gaining prominence. Therefore, a natural fiber from the Himalayan region, Grewia Optiva, was used in the present study to develop a sustainable material for automotive braking applications. Brake friction composite materials were manufactured with various amounts (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 wt%) of Grewia Optiva fiber. The composites were evaluated for physicochemical and mechanical characterization, tribological properties, and noise propensity. The friction performance remains comparable for all composites between 0.41 and 0.44, while a 9–13% reduction in the specific wear rate was obtained for the ≥7.5 wt% Grewia Optiva fiber added to the composites. Fade-recovery performance improved significantly with increasing fiber amount, while friction fluctuations remained the lowest for the composite with 7.5 wt% Grewia Optiva fiber content. At the same time, the minimal stick-slip power was associated with the composite having no Grewia Optiva fiber content. Therefore, a multiattribute decision-making technique was employed to evaluate the overall performance of all the composites suggesting 7.5 wt% Grewia Optiva fiber as the optimal content.