Estudo de variáveis de composição e processo para controle da compressibilidade

Abstract

Brake pads for automotive brake systems represent one of the most complex composite materials since they contain many components with widely varying physical and chemical properties. This multiphase nature is necessary to satisfy a wide variety of performance related demands. Processing conditions also have a major influence on the properties of these complex composites. Brake pads used in these studies were semi-metallic non-asbestos friction materials containing many different ingredients, including phenolic resin, reinforcing fibers, solid lubricants, abrasives and fillers. In this work, the influence of composition and process parameters on the compressibility, density, hardness, flexure strength and coefficient of friction were investigated. The designs of experiments selected for this study were fractional and full varieties. In the initial fractional design of experiments, we found both the quantity of resin and the mold temperature to be dominant influences on the compressibility. A full design of experiments again indicated that the quantity of resin and mold temperature, as well as their interaction, are the dominant players in determining the compressibility. A third design of experiments concentrated on the resin properties since this factor was the most influential in determining the properties of friction materials. The results show that it is possible to control both the tribological properties and the compressibility of the pads within a rather large range of values. Thus, the work shows that it is possible to use statistical methods to rationalize brake pad design.