Coefficient of Friction Measurements for Thermoplastics and Fibre Composites Under Low Sliding Velocity and High Pressure

Friction materials for typical brake applications are normally designed considering thermal stability as the major performance criterion. There are, however, brake applications with very limited sliding velocities, where the generated heat is insignificant. In such cases it is possible that friction materials which are untypical for brake applications, like thermoplastics and fibre composites, can offer superior performance in terms of braking torque, wear resistance and cost than typical brake linings. In this paper coefficient of friction measurements for various thermoplastic and fibre composite materials running against a steel surface are presented. All tests were carried out on a pinon-disc test-rig in reciprocating operation at a fixed sliding speed and various pressure levels for both dry and grease lubricated conditions. Moreover, a generic theoretical framework is introduced in order to interpret the changes of friction observed during the running-in phase.