Wear performance and wear debris of semimetallic automotive brake materials

Wear performance of automotive brake material is addressed and debris collected after brake dynamometer test and after ball-milling of identical semimetallic friction lining is characterized using a combination of analytical techniques. The differences between dynamometer wear debris and ball-milled samples are demonstrated. Wear debris is typified by the presence of numerous nanoparticles formed during wear process. Their chemistry resembles the chemistry of friction layer described previously. Contradicting findings by different research groups addressing automotive wear particulates are discussed and further refinement of analytical and testing techniques as well as their combination is suggested.