The Evolution of Brake Disc Materials for Trains: A Review

As a key component of the train braking system, the comprehensive performance of brake discs plays a vital role in ensuring the operational safety of trains. With the advent of high-speed and heavy-haul trains, the thermal energy generated by braking systems has significantly increased. The resulting rapid temperature rise can easily exceed the material limits of brake discs. Consequently, research focused on enhancing brake disc performance in high-temperature environments, improving thermal fatigue resistance, and optimizing tribological properties has become increasingly critical. Brake disc materials have undergone substantial evolution, transitioning from traditional iron and steel to lightweight aluminum matrix composites and carbon matrix composites. While iron and steel benefit from mature manufacturing processes and proven reliability, their high mass density poses challenges in meeting the demands for lightweight and high-speed development in modern rail transit. Although aluminum matrix composites and carbon matrix composites offer advantages like low density and high heat capacity, they still face several technical challenges in practical applications. This paper outlines the key characteristics of train brake disc materials, emphasizing the application status and research progress of iron and steel, aluminum matrix composites, and carbon matrix composites. Additionally, it briefly introduces surface modification technologies for iron and steel brake discs, with the goal of providing insights and references to guide the innovation and development of train brake disc materials.