The role of transfer layers on friction characteristics in the sliding interface between friction materials against gray iron brake disks

The effect of transfer layer formation on friction performance was studied using a brake friction material containing 15 ingredients. Based on a base formulation, 13 friction material specimens containing different relative amounts of ingredients were produced and they were tested on gray iron disks using a small-scale friction tester. A non-destructive four-point probe technique to measure electrical resistance of the thin film was used to estimate the transfer layer thickness. Results showed that the transfer layer formation was highly dependent on the relative amount of ingredients in the friction material and temperature. Among various ingredients, solid lubricants and iron powders increased the transfer layer thickness but no apparent correlation between transfer layer thickness and the coefficient of friction was found. Strong influence from individual ingredients was observed, dominating the friction characteristics during sliding. On the other hand, the thick transfer layers on the disk surface tended to reduce the friction material wear and the amplitude of the friction coefficient oscillation during sliding.