Exploring the tribological impact of micaceous additives in copper‐free automobile brake friction composites

This study investigates the tribological impact of incorporating micaceous additives in copper‐free brake friction composites for automotive applications. Four brake pad formulations were created, each containing different amounts of muscovite and phlogopite, ranging from 0% to 10% by weight. A brake pad comparison was conducted by replacing mica with synthetic barites. The physical, thermal, mechanical, and chemical properties of the fabricated brake friction composite were examined. Tribological features were evaluated through inertia brake dynamometer testing following the JASO‐C‐406 schedule. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis delved into contact plateau formations and back transfer patches on the brake pad's surfaces. Notably, phlogopite‐based pads exhibited enhanced thermal stability and efficient heat dissipation, contributing to sustained tribological performance. Overall, the comprehensive evaluation using the multiple objective optimization by ratio analysis (MOORA) method positioned phlogopite‐based brake pads as the optimal choice for optimized braking performances.Highlights Exploration of micaceous additives as an ingredient in brake friction composite. Phlogopite‐based brake pads showed better fade and recovery performance. Phlogopite‐based brake pads exhibited low pad wear and rotor wear. MOORA optimization positioned phlogopite‐based brake pads as the optimal choice.