Pin-on-disc study of dry sliding behavior of Co-free HVOF-coated disc tested against different friction materials

The dry sliding behavior of three commercial friction materials (codenamed FM1, FM2, and FM3) tested against a Co-free cermet coating produced by high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) on gray cast-iron discs is investigated. FM1 is a conventional low-metallic friction material, FM2 is developed for using against HVOF-coated discs, and FM3 is a Cu-free friction material with a low content of abrasives and a relatively high concentration of steel fibers. For the tribological evaluation, they are tested on a pin-on-disc (PoD) test rig against Co-free HVOF-coated discs, with particular attention to the running-in stage, which is fundamental for the establishment of a friction layer between the two mating surfaces, i.e., the pin and disc. The PoD tests are performed at room temperature (RT) and a high temperature (HT) of 300 ℃. At RT, all materials exhibit a long running-in stage. At HT, no running-in is observed in FM1 and FM2, whereas a shorter running-in period, with respect to the RT case, is observed in FM3 followed by the attainment of a comparatively high coefficient of friction. At RT, the pin wear is mild in all cases but severe at HT. FM3 shows the lowest wear rate at both temperatures. Moreover, the coated disc shows no wear when sliding against the FM3 friction material. All the results are interpreted considering the microstructural characteristics of the friction layers formed on the sliding surfaces. The findings of the present study provide insights into reducing wear in braking system components and hence reducing environmental particulate matter emissions from their wear, through the use of disc coatings.