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SUMMARY
Brake pads are a critical part of a vehicle’s overall braking system. With the broad diversity of available
brake pad types, sub-types and unique chemistries there is an open question as to which brake pad
provides the best overall performance.
First, not all brake pads are created equal. A brake pad that works well in busy city traffic isn’t suitable
for performance racetrack driving. Similarly, a dedicated pad for off-road, heavy-duty work won’t meet
the sociability needs of a quiet neighborhood. The one consistent fact is that brake pad chemistries are
evolving rapidly and improving across all fronts. Much of this evolution is driven by advances in
materials characterization techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy
Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS).
Even within a single pad type, the specific chemistry of that pad has a significant impact on the
performance. A major challenge in manufacturing automotive brake pads/shoes is controlling the
ingredients and distribution of these components. Reproducibility of the formulation and the
distribution of the raw materials is the key to obtaining good quality control of the final product. SEM-
EDS analysis and statistical approach was used to determine the distribution and phases of the
components of brake pads.
WHITE PAPER
Introduction
Brake pads are a critical part of a vehicle’s overall braking system. With the broad diversity of available
brake pad types, sub-types and unique chemistries there is an open question as to which brake pad
provides the best overall performance.
First, not all brake pads are created equal. A brake pad that works well in busy city traffic isn’t suitable
for performance racetrack driving. Similarly, a dedicated pad for off-road, heavy-duty work won’t meet
the sociability needs of a quiet neighborhood. There will never be one perfect brake pad for every type
of vehicle or in every situation. Clean, quiet stops are traded for reduced braking performance. Greater
braking performance is generally traded for a short pad life. A longer pad life may come at the expense
of added wear on the rotor or reduced braking.
The one consistent fact is that brake pad chemistries are evolving rapidly and improving across all fronts.
Much of this evolution is driven by advances in materials characterization techniques such as Scanning
Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). SEM-EDS offer a unique
and effective view of the material composition on the sub-micron scale. An improved understanding and
monitoring of the sub-micron composition of materials directly translates into improvements in
performance and in manufacturing control on the macro scale.
Even within a single pad type, the specific chemistry of that pad has a significant impact on the
performance. A major challenge in manufacturing automotive brake pads/shoes is controlling the
ingredients and distribution of these components. Reproducibility of the formulation and the
distribution of the raw materials is the key to obtaining good quality control of the final product. SEM-
EDS analysis and statistical approach was used to determine the distribution and phases of the
components of brake pads.
Conclusion
In the end, braking is a tradeoff. Ceramic pads offer quieter stops, less dust and longer pad life. The
downside is a lower coefficient of friction and less effective overall braking performance relative to
semi-metallic pads. On the other hand, semi-metallic pads produce more noise and dust but are more
effective in colder temperatures and maintain a stronger, more consistent braking performance
throughout their operating range. Whether the pad is classified as ceramic or semi-metallic, the unique
chemistry of the braking surface on the micro-scale drives the macro level performance characteristics.
SEM-EDS has been demonstrated as a highly effective characterization technique for the analysis of
brake pads on the micro-scale. This characterization enables physical chemists and materials scientists
to accelerate learning, shorten development cycles, and monitor production of brake pads more
effectively.
Figures
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