Friction behaviors of carbon/carbon composites with different pyrolytic carbon textures

Friction and wear properties of carbon/carbon (C/C) composites with a smooth laminar (SL), a medium textured rough laminar (RL) and a high textured RL pyrolytic carbon texture were investigated with a home-made laboratory scale dynamometer to simulate airplane normal landing (NL), over landing (OL) and rejected take-off (RTO) conditions. The morphology of worn surfaces at different braking levels was observed with scanning electron microscopy. The results show that C/C composites with RL have nearly constant friction coefficients, stable friction curves and proper wear loss at different braking levels, while friction coefficients of C/C composites with SL pyrolytic carbon decrease intensely and their oxidation losses increase greatly under OL and RTO conditions. Therefore, C/C composites with a high and medium textured RL pyrolytic carbon may satisfy the requirements of aircraft brakes. The good friction and wear properties of C/C composites with RL are due to the properties of RL, which leads to a uniform friction film forming on the friction surface.