Overview of the Important Factors Influencing the Performance of Eco-Friendly Brake Pads

Our plain-English summary of Overview of the Important Factors Influencing the Performance of Eco-Friendly Brake Pads, by A.P. Irawan, D.F. Fitriyana, C. Tezara, et al (Polymers, 2022).

The study

• Authors: A.P. Irawan, D.F. Fitriyana, C. Tezara, J.P. Siregar, D. Laksmidewi, G.D. Baskara, M.Z. Abdullah, R. Junid, A.E. Hadi, M.H.M. Hamdan, N. Najid
• Journal: Polymers
• Published: 2022;14(6)
• Type of article: Review
• Cited by: 8 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

Abstract

The braking system is a crucial element in automotive safety. In order for the braking mechanism to function effectively, the brake pads' durability as well as quality are crucial aspects to take into account. A brake pad is a part of a vehicle that holds the wheel rotation so that braking can occur. Asbestos, which is harmful to human health, is a raw material that is recently being widely used as a material mixture for the manufacturing of brake pads. Many efforts have been made by researchers to find other natural alternative materials to replace the use of asbestos. Natural materials that have received much attention and research include coconut fiber, wood powder or flour, bamboo fiber, shell powder, etc. This review paper focuses on analyzing the main parameters that affect brake pad performance. The composition of filler and fiber types of reinforcement for polymer composites is discussed. Previous studies' information on the fabrication and testing of brake pads are also highlighted. Furthermore, the findings of this review can provide researchers and academicians with useful information and points to consider for further research.

In plain English

This article was a review by engineering researchers, not a study of people. It gathered earlier laboratory studies, by other research groups, of brake pads made with agricultural wastes and natural fibers as substitutes for asbestos. These included coconut shell, palm kernel shell, bamboo, kenaf, rice husk, banana peel and periwinkle shell. The authors described asbestos as carcinogenic and said a replacement reinforcing material was needed. The article itself did not measure asbestos exposure or any health outcome. Citing earlier studies, the review gave asbestos brake pads a friction coefficient of 0.3–0.4 and a wear rate of 3.8 mg/m. The authors reported several patterns from the reviewed studies. Pads made with agricultural waste performed almost the same as asbestos pads. Smaller filler particles reduced wear. More agricultural waste lowered strength and hardness. Phenolic resin binders gave better properties than polyester resins. They also stated that heat-resistant binder resins can reduce wear and particle emission. The authors concluded that using agricultural waste in brake pads can reduce environmental pollution and health risks. They did not state limitations of their review.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Narrative review of published laboratory engineering studies on brake pad materials; no description of how studies were selected and no human health data
• Who was studied: No people were studied; the review covered earlier laboratory studies of experimental brake pads made with agricultural wastes and natural fibers (e.g., coconut shell, palm kernel shell, bamboo, kenaf, rice husk, banana peel, periwinkle shell, sawdust)
• Exposure: Asbestos was discussed only as a brake pad reinforcing material to be replaced; no fiber type was named and no exposure was measured. The authors described asbestos as carcinogenic based on IARC and WHO.
• Main results:
  • Citing earlier studies, the review gave asbestos brake pads a friction coefficient of 0.3–0.4 and a wear rate of 3.8 mg/m
  • Brake pads made with agricultural waste were reported to perform almost the same as brake pads made with asbestos
  • Reducing filler particle size was reported to reduce brake pad wear
  • Increasing the amount of agricultural waste was reported to lower breaking, compressive, hardness and impact strength of the brake pads
  • Phenolic resin binders were reported to give better physical, mechanical and tribological properties than polyester resins in agricultural-waste brake pads
  • Heat-resistant binder resins were reported to reduce brake pad wear rate and particle emission
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that using agricultural waste in brake pads can reduce environmental pollution and health risks

Topics

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Brake Lining.

Related studies

• Factors influencing exercise performance in thoracic cancer — R. England, M. Maddocks, et al. (2012)
• Environmental and occupational health hazards associated with the presence of asbestos in brake linings and pads (1900 to present): a "state-of-the-art" review — D.J. Paustenbach, B.L. Finley, et al. (2004)
• Exposure to chrysotile asbestos associated with unpacking and repacking boxes of automobile brake pads and shoes — A.K. Madl, L.L. Scott, et al. (2008)
• Reduction of the biological potential of chrysotile asbestos arising from conditions of service on brake pads — A.M. Langer (2003)
• Environmental and occupational health hazards associated with the presence of asbestos in brake linings and pads (1900 to present): A "state-of-the-art" review — S.S. Paskal (2004)
• Influence of Varying Concentrations of Epoxy, Rice Husk, Al2O3, and Fe2O3 on the Properties of Brake Friction Materials Prepared Using Hand Layup Method — A.P. Irawan, D.F. Fitriyana, et al. (2023)

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