Development of Asbestos Free Brake Pad

Dr N Chand, Non-member
Dr S A R Hashmi, Member
S Lomash, Fellow
A Naik, Non-member

Brakes are most important safety devices in the machines. Friction lining is an essential part of braking system.
Different types of friction materials are used in brake lining of different machines. The brake linings generally consist
of asbestos fibres embedded in polymeric matrix along with several other ingredients. The use of asbestos fibre is being
avoided due to its carcinogenic nature. A new asbestos free friction material (lining) and brake pad for heavy machines,
such as, hydrogenerator has been developed. Physical properties of this new material along with wear properties have
been determined and reported in this paper. Non-asbestos composition shows the wear properties comparable to
conventional asbestos brake pads.

Keywords: Non-asbestos friction material; Wear properties

INTRODUCTION In this study, a new type of asbestos-free composite and its

The brake is an important safety device in machines. The brake pad has been made and characterized for the use in
friction material is an essential part in brake and clutch heavy machines and in hydrogenerators.
devices. Different types of brake materials are used in different Several samples having asbestos-free compositions were
machines. Light weight materials, such as, aluminium matrix prepared and their physical and wear properties were
composites cost more than traditionally used gray cast iron evaluated. Apart from these properties sliding wear and
due to their high raw material cost1. The manufacturing cost abrasive wear properties were evaluated and studied.
involved in the component development using aluminium
matrix composites is high. Asbestos is a cheap and easily MATERIALS AND METHODS
available raw material2-7. It is used extensively as lagging Development of Brake Pad
material, insulation material, raw material for making
The new friction material has been developed jointly by RRL,
corrugated sheet and as lining material. It is also used as
Bhopal and BHEL, Bhopal and a patent application has been
reinforcement in the form of fibre, for making composite
material. Due to its good thermal stability and high L/D ratio, filed8. This essentially contains binder polymer material, rein-
it is the most prominent candidate for use as friction material forcement fibres, friction modifier, fillers, and few more
where thermal stability is important criteria. chemical additives to achieve the desired properties of
material. This proprietary process and composition of friction
In hydrogenerators, brake pads are used as friction material.
However, during maintenance these also serve as load bearing material is given elsewhere9. Glass fibres, mineral fillers, metal
pads. The brake pads (friction material) presently used are chips, phenolic resin, graphite and additives were dry mixed in
generally made from asbestos fibre. In spite of its good proper- a mixer and then transferred to a mould kept in a hot platen
ties asbestos is being withdrawn from all those applications press at 140° C at 1000 kgf/cm2 pressure for 10 min. After
where there is a possibility of man consuming or inhaling its removal from hot press, the material was cured at 120° C in an
dust, because of its carcinogenic nature. It is necessary to use oven for 24 h. Test pieces were cut to determine various
alternate material for making non-carcinogenic brake pad. properties as described.
Friction materials have evolved from simple formulations
containing eight ingredients to complex composites with as Testing of Brake Pad
many as 20 components. Several formulations have been Coefficient of friction, density, wear resistance, compressive
developed for higher performing products. strength, rivet holding capacity etc were evaluated, Sliding
wear measurements were taken on the samples on a pin-on-
Dr N Chand, Dr S A R Hashmi and A Naik are with Polymer Composite disc machine model SI-412 C Ducom (India) and two body
Group, Regional Research Laboratory (CSIR), Habibganj Naka, Ho-
shangabad Road, Bhopal 462 026; while S Lomash is with Hydro Generator abrasive wear test were carried out using a Suga abrasion tester
Engineering Division, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, Piplani, Bhopal, (Japan) model NUS-1 at different loads, such as, 1N, 3N, 5N
462 022. and 7N. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies of worn
This paper (revised) was received on October 21, 2003. Written discussion on surfaces of the samples were carried out using JSM-5600 JEOL
the paper will be entertained till June 30, 2004. (Japan) model, after gold polishing on samples.

Vol 85, April 2004 13

Actual desired size 250 mm × 250 mm × 38 mm brake pad 60
was made by pressing the weighted amount of mixed 1N
ingredients in a hot compression press under specified 50 2N
conditions. 5N

Wear volume, mm3

40 7N
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
30
The composition of material is complex as several ingredients
are used in formulation of frictional material. Two different
20
reinforcing fibres and two different phenolic resins were used
to observe their effect on desired properties. In composition 10
A, weight ratio of mineral filler to glass fibre was 1.50 which
was changed to 0.66 in composition B, whereas in 0
composition C, this ratio was 0.66 with a change in resin type. 6.4 12.8 19.2 25.6
Modified phenolic resin was used in compositions A and B Sliding distance, m
and unmodified phenolic resin were used in composition C. Figure 3 Plot between wear volume and sliding distance of sample C at
Figures 1 to 3 show the variation in abrasive wear volume with different applied loads
sliding distance at different applied forces for three different
60
types of materials A, B and C, respectively. These figures show
that increase in load increases the wear volume. Wear volume
50
also increases with sliding distance in all the cases. The Wear volume, mm3 Sample-A
Sample-B
increase in wear volume with applied load is attributed to deep
40 Sample-C
penetration of abrasive silicon carbide particles in the sample,
cutting and removal of material there from.
30
50
45 20
1N
40 3N
10
Wear volume, mm3

35 5N
7N
30 0
25 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
20 Sliding distance, m
15 Figure 4 Effect of sliding distance on wear volume of different brake pad
10 samples at 7N load
5
Figure 4 shows the effect of sliding distance on abrasive wear
0
6.6 12.8 19.2 25.6
volume of these developed brake pad samples at 7N applied
load. Wear losses in these samples are different. Sample B is
Sliding distance, m
more wear resistant as compared to sample A and sample C.
Figure 1 Plot between wear volume and sliding distance of sample A at
This difference is due to the change in composition of two
different applied loads
friction materials. The glass fibre content is higher in sample B
as compared to sample A in which mineral filler to glass fibre
25
ratio is 1.5. On reducing the ratio, wear resistance increases.
1N This improvement is attributed to higher volume fraction of
20 3N
5N high strength, long glass fibres. On comparing wear results of
Wear volume, mm3

7N samples B and C, it is obvious that in spite of low ratio of

15 mineral filler to glass fibre ratio, the wear losses are high in
sample C. This sample was made using unmodified phenolic
10 resin. It is, therefore, obvious that modified phenolic resin
provides better bonding and wear characteristics as compared
to unmodified resin.
5
Existing brake pads are manufactured by proprietary processes
0 using asbestos fibre along with some other ingredients for
6.4 12.8 19.2 25.6 binding, thermal conduction and wear resistance. Asbestos
Sliding distance, m based brake pad presently used has density of 2.22 g/cc.
Figure 2 Plot between wear volume and sliding distance of sample B at Figure 5 shows the SEM photographs of worn surface of brake
different applied loads pad sample B at 600 and 10 000 magnifications. These samples

14 IE (I) Journal—MC
 Table 1 Wear behaviour of brake pad materials under sliding wear
conditions

Sample Density, Sliding wear test results after 1 km

g/cc sliding distance against EN-32 steel at
0.50 MPa pressure
Wear Wear Wear
volume, rate, resistance,
cm3 × 10–4 m3/m × 10–13 m/m3 × 1012

Asbestos brake pad 2.22 7.16 7.16 1.397

Asbestos-free
brake pad

Sample A 1.97 6.60 6.60 1.510

Sample B 2.13 7.98 7.98 1.270

Sample C 2.07 2.42 2.42 4.130

(a)
Table 2 Physical properties of non-asbestos brake pad material

Properties Values

Coefficient of friction (dry) 0.30-0.45

Density, g/cc 1.97-2.13

Wear rate, × 10–13 m3/m 2.42 – 7.98 at 0.5 MPa

Compressive strength, MPa 36-60

Izod impact strength (un-notched), kJ/m2 11.5-15.4

Rivet holding capacity Excellent

Maximum operating temperature, ° C 175

Maximum working pressure, MPa 1

(b)
Asbestos Free Brake Pad
for Hydrogenerators
Figure 5 Microstructure of abraded brake pad sample B at (a) 600; and
(b) 10 000 magnifications

were subjected to abrasion test. Deep grooves or wear tracks

were formed on the surface as observed in the micrographs
shown in Figure 5(a) as dark parallel regions. Large number of
broken particles, matrix etc are also observed. In magnified view
[Figure 5(b)] it is observed that the matrix is fractured due to
abrasive action. Mineral filler was also observed in these
micrographs as white cylindrical parts. The sliding wear
properties of these samples were also evaluated.
Figure 6 Shows the photograph of actual asbestos free brake pad for
Weight loss was measured after 1000 m of sliding distance and
hydrogenerator
volume loss due to sliding wear was calculated. The data so
obtained is given in Table 1. It is observed that newly is a photograph of actual size brake pad for using in
developed non-asbestos friction materials and conventional hydrogenerators made by BHEL Bhopal. These brake pads
asbestos based friction material possess the wear properties of were made using the patented process8 and desired size dies.
same order and hence could be used as an alternative material. The brake pads have been installed in a hydrogenerator
Table 2 provides few other important physical properties of installed by BHEL in Hydro Electric Generation Plant, Tawa,
newly developed asbestos-free brake pad composition. Figure 6 ltarsi.

Vol 85, April 2004 15

CONCLUSIONS 3. C D Johnston. ‘Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete.’ Composites, vol 13, no 2,
1. Non-asbestos friction materials can be developed by April 1983.
replacing asbestos fibres with other suitable reinforcement and 4. ‘Technical Literature.’ Kurarary Co Ltd, Japan, 1984.
suitable formulation.
5. A G Amrotex. British Patent Application GB 2065735A.
2. Abrasive wear volume decreases with the decrease in ratio
6. T J Bessell, S M Mutuli. ‘Interfacial Bond Strengths of Sisal Cement
of mineral filler and glass fibre in the non-asbestos
Composites.’ Journal of Materials Science Letters, vol 1, June 1982, p 244.
formulation.
7. R A Clifton. ‘Asbestos in Mineral Facts and Problems.’ Bureau of Mines, US
3. This asbestos-free friction lining material can be used for
Department of Interior, 1985.
brake as well as other friction lining applications.
8. N Chand, S A R Hashmi, A Naik, S Lomash and Hazarilal. ‘A New
REFERENCES Composition and Process of Making Brake Pad by using Asbestos Free
1. R H Basch, J Fash, R Hasson, T Dalka, R Mc Cune and R Kanfold. Brakes Material.’ Indian Patent Application No 0624/DEL/2001.
2000, D Barton and S Earle (ed), vol 163, 2000.
9. Final Report on ‘Development of Brake Pad.’ submitted to BHEL, Bhopal by
2. ‘Cape Asbestos Fibres Ltd.’ Unpublished Report, 1979-1980. RRL, Bhopal, Report No RRL/PG/2000/BP-3.

16 IE (I) Journal—MC