New Developments in Carbon-Based Nanomaterials for Automotive Brake Pad Applications and Future Challenges

Senthil Kumaran Selvaraj,Tharun M V Narendhra,Utkarsh Chadha,Ishan Nilesh Agarwal,Rathan Ramesh,Velmurugan Paramasivam,Ponnusamy Palanisamy,Ibrahim Alarifi

doi:10.1155/2021/6787435

Senthil Kumaran Selvaraj, Tharun M V Narendhra + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6787435

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Abstract

The proper functioning of automotive brake pads is of utmost importance to ensure the safety of passengers. Therefore, brake pad materials must be chosen with utmost precision and care to ensure their optimal functioning for long durations. Through a thorough literature review, it is found that the materials used currently for this purpose pose multiple discrepancies. Therefore, it is imperative to shift our focus towards nanomaterials, as they are one of the essential novel materials in this field. This study discusses the multiple constituents used in commercial brake pads, their role in improving and stabilizing their operation, and their desired properties to achieve optimal functioning. Parallelly, this study also reviews some of the potential organic and carbon nanomaterials that could prove to provide tough competition to currently utilized materials for brake pad applications. From this review, the major future commercial brake pad materials obtained include the likes of banana peel powder, crab shell powder, coconut fibers, stark corn fibers, metal oxide composites, metal nitride composites, multiwalled carbon nanotubes, and hybrid nanocomposites. These materials are studied on the basis of their performance under high-frictional force applications and analyzed by considering their mechanical, chemical, thermal, and tribological properties. Carbon nanotube-based composites showed improved tribological and braking performances making them more attractive than the materials in commercially available brake pads. In addition to these, the effects of usage of such nanomaterials on the environment and health are reviewed, in order to understand the feasibility of utilization of nanomaterials in automotive brake pad applications. From this analysis, this work suggests that there are a variety of nanomaterials that prove to be capable of automotive brake pad applications and, with further research and technological developments, would prove to be an asset to the automotive brake pad industry.

Highlights

The most integral part of any automotive system is the braking system
Materials used in the commercial brake pads have moved from asbestos to complex metal matrix composites
While the use of asbestos, metallic, semimetallic, and nonasbestos organic (NAO) materials is advantageous in some aspects, none of the currently used materials exhibit all the required properties at desired levels

Summary

Introduction

The most integral part of any automotive system is the braking system. The vital component of the braking system is the brake pad. Much progress has been made to improve the performance of the brake pad. The material of the brake pad is the area in which these advancements are made. Brake pads are composites containing constituents such as reinforcements, abrasives, fillers, and solid lubricants [1]. Due to their excellent mechanical properties and high wear resistance, metal matrix composites (MMCs) are generally encouraging for tribological applications [2]. The pads usually consist of asbestos, semimetallic, nonasbestos organic (NAO), and low-steel, low-carbon materials [3].

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