Tribological Properties of Potassium Titanate in the Brake Friction Material; Morphological Effects

The tribological characteristics of brake friction materials containing different shapes of potassium titanate were investigated. They contain typical ingredients of a non-asbestos organic based friction material, including potassium titanate in the shapes of whiskers, platelets, and splinters. A Krauss type friction tester is used to obtain thermal stability and wear resistance of the friction materials at elevated temperatures. The results showed that the morphology of potassium titanate plays an important role in the formation of contact plateaus and transfer films on the rubbing surfaces, which are closely associated with tribological properties. The friction material with splinter shape potassium titanate shows better friction stability and improved wear resistance compared to those containing other types of potassium titanate due to larger contact plateaus and stable friction films at the sliding interface. On the other hand, the transfer films produced by the friction materials with platelet or whisker potassium titanate are not sustainable at elevated temperatures since they are easily detached during sliding, resulting in poor wear resistance.