Physics and Chemistry Test on Aluminum-Based Composite Materials as an Alternative Material for the Manufacture of Brake Drum

Abstract

One of the components of the vehicle are of particular interest is the brake system , because its main function is to stop the rotation axis, set the axis of rotation and to prevent unwanted rotation. One classification system is the brake drum that has been widely made of cast iron, cast iron and cast steel special. This study makes brake drum of composite materials aluminum-based, with reinforcement is silicon carbide (SiC), obtained optimum composition of 15%, so it is written (Al-Si)-SiC/15%. Physics testing includes testing of thermal conductivity and thermal expansion coefficient, and Chemistry testing the corrosion penetration rate when the test material was coating with regular polish, with chrome, with nickel and with nickel + chrome. The final results showed that the value of conductivity and thermal expansion coefficient of the composite material is lower than cast iron, aluminum and other alloys. That is pretty good heat resistance when applied to brake drum material. The lowest of corrosion penetration rate on coating material with a layer of Ni-Cr.