Brake Characteristics and Cooling Methods – A Review

Braking system is important in any automobile. It is essential to decelerate the vehicle and stop it. Friction braking system is widely used system of braking. It makes use of frictional force to safely retard the vehicle. The temperature of the brake pad (stator) and disc (rotor) increases because of frictional force between them. Higher temperatures may lead to fading of brakes resulting in its failure. This paper briefly reviews published works on studying the wear and thermal characteristics of brake pads and on various available brake cooling methods. The microstructural changes in the brake pads are analyzed and reason for enhanced wear at higher temperatures is traced out. The various test results obtained using microscope (SEM), Friction assessment screening tests (FAST), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) are described in brief. A description of the available methods of enhancing the brake cooling and decreasing the wear rate is discussed. This work will be useful in planning further research in this important area of automotive field.