The Application of Copper Powder in Brake Pads Production
In the manufacturing of brake pads, Copper Powder has long been a crucial ingredient in brake pads mixtures. Its unique physical and chemical properties significantly impact various brake pads mixes, playing a vital role in the formation of high – quality brake pads friction materials.
1. Function and Mechanism
Copper Powder, with excellent thermal and electrical conductivity, serves multiple functions in brake pads. As a component of the brake pads friction materials, it effectively dissipates heat generated during braking. When braking, the temperature of the brake pads can rise rapidly. Copper Powder, due to its high thermal conductivity (about 401 W/(m·K)), can transfer heat away from the friction surface quickly. This prevents overheating of the brake pads and maintains their performance. Additionally, it acts as a lubricant to some extent. In the brake pads mixture, copper particles can reduce the direct contact between hard abrasive components, thus reducing wear and tear during the braking process.
2. Advantages
2.1 Superior Heat Dissipation
Copper Powder greatly improves the heat dissipation capacity of brake pads. In a high – speed braking test, where a vehicle decelerates from 100 km/h to 0 in 10 seconds repeatedly for 20 times, the maximum temperature of brake pads with 15% copper powder is 350°C, while that of brake pads without copper powder reaches 450°C. This efficient heat dissipation helps to prevent brake fade, ensuring consistent braking performance even under extreme conditions.
2.2 Enhanced Wear Resistance
Brake pads with Copper Powder show enhanced wear resistance. After 2000 braking cycles, the mass loss of brake pads containing 10% copper powder is 6 grams, while that of non – copper – containing pads is 10 grams. The presence of copper particles in the brake pads friction materials provides additional support and reduces the rate of material removal during braking, thereby extending the service life of the brake pads.
2.3 Good Friction Stability
Copper Powder contributes to good friction stability. In a friction coefficient test under different braking pressures, the friction coefficient of brake pads with 8% copper powder fluctuates within a range of 0.3 – 0.4, while that of pads without copper powder has a wider fluctuation range of 0.2 – 0.5. This stable friction coefficient ensures reliable braking force control during braking, enhancing driving safety.
3. Disadvantages
3.1 High Cost
Copper is a relatively expensive metal. The cost of copper powder accounts for a significant portion of the raw material cost in brake pads production. For example, in a batch of brake pads production, if the content of copper powder is 12%, the material cost is about 30% higher than that of brake pads without copper powder. This high cost may limit its widespread use in some price – sensitive markets.
3.2 Environmental Concerns
When brake pads with Copper Powder are in use, copper particles may be released into the environment during wear. According to environmental studies, in areas with high – traffic density, the copper content in the soil near the roads can increase by 20 – 30 ppm within a year due to brake pad wear. Excessive copper in the environment can have negative impacts on soil microorganisms and aquatic ecosystems, raising environmental concerns.
In conclusion, Copper Powder offers remarkable advantages in terms of heat dissipation, wear resistance, and friction stability in brake pad production. However, its high cost and environmental issues associated with its use need to be carefully considered. Future research may focus on finding cost – effective alternatives or developing recycling methods to mitigate these drawbacks.