Effects of rice husk ash particles on tribological properties of bronze matrix composite brake pads

The objective of this study was to examine and compare the physical, mechanical, and tribological properties of hybrid bronze metal matrix composite brake pads reinforced with fly ash and rice husk ash (RHA). To this end, metal matrix brake pad samples with various ratios of rice husk were prepared by hot pressing method. Density, hardness, friction coefficient, friction stability, and specific wear rate values were ascertained for the produced samples. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were employed to analyses the microstructure and wear surface. Results indicated that with the increase in rice husk ratio, the hardness value increased, whereas the density decreased. Furthermore, an augmentation in the friction coefficient values was attained by increasing the ratio of rice husk. The highest friction coefficient among all the samples produced was determined in the RHA-8 sample, with a value of 0.462. However, the lowest specific wear value was obtained in the RHA-6 sample, with 4.33 x 10-6 cm3/Nm. The coefficient of friction values obtained from all the samples produced were measured to be in the range of 0.3-0.6, which is the desired range for use as a brake pad material in automotive applications. This study demonstrated that RHA, an agricultural byproduct, may be utilized effectively in brake pads, thereby reducing production costs and enhancing the performance of the pads.