Friction Braking in a Changing Vehicular World

ON THE ROLE OF FRICTION WITHIN THE CURRENT PARADIGM SHIFT

Transportation is one of the most societally important and growing sectors ongoing through considerable developments and changes. The not-so-distant future is envisioned as an era of autonomous transportation (SAE Brake Colloquium 21 Panel). 也, the role of vehicles changed significantly as they are becoming embedded systems “connected” to the internet and using different applications improving functionality and safety. 结合“电气化”, 人工智能(AI), 包括机器学习(MI), their performance is being continuously improved (SAE Brake Colloquium 22 Panel).

There is also ongoing intense discussion addressing 制动 未来的交通工具. 一些团体预测，这一现象将完全消失 摩擦制动器, believing that “job could be done” solely by the 再生制动, converting the kinetic energy of vehicle into electric current. And there are opinions supporting “the necessity to have a 摩擦制动器 (foundation brake)” combined with the 再生制动 capacity to be able not only warrant efficiency and safety, but also because the objective arguments that the currently designed 再生制动 systems are not able to operate (be functional) at high and low speeds, 能量条件, 或者要求高减速和低减速. 在这些场景中, “绿色”和“摩擦”刹车, 分别, must “communicate” to deliver an optimal performance required by driver, 自治系统, 或者两者的结合.

Current vehicles mostly use numerous electronic devices, 能够感知, provide information to controlling computer/internet, which will then provide the necessary instructions to actuate and deliver a proper response, or, 简而言之, to optimize the 制动 (and whole vehicle) operation/performance. These “electrification processes” are in focus of current “exponentially grooving development effort” and are also being used to correct or at least mitigate the “old challenges” related to 制动 (e. g. 振动和噪声、腐蚀、污染). Some designers believe that “electrification” can resolve all of them. 然而，这似乎过于乐观了. 除了, 它们是有代价的, reflected particularly by the increasing costs and mass of vehicles. It is not only the “heavy batteries” responsible for the trend.

While the electrification is in focus today, and the newest technologies are being rapidly employed, 并不完全出人意料, 新型摩擦材料的开发, 代表一种较老的技术, 是在较小程度上处理的. Vice versa, the importance of brake materials optimization was diminished.  今天, the most 制造业 processes of friction materials are still at the level corresponding to the end of the 19th century. The new friction materials could “do better”, 然而, and this blog aims to argue that it will be the case. 今天, there are numerous new materials bringing the development of advanced newly emerging technologies. They are often called responsive metamaterials with programable and tunable perceptual elements with 2D response as sensor and 2D/3D/4D response as actuators. The perceptual single elements or the integrated perceptual systems with microscopic regulation and macroscopic response could sense (=find the need) and actuate (= deliver a proper response) without the necessity to “add additional mass” related to mentioned added electronic devices.

When combined with the 再生制动, the 摩擦制动器 is used to a lesser extent (5 to 20%). By utilizing a smarter designs and materials selections, 允许感知和反应, rotors and brake pads/linings can be considerably smaller (not larger as many current design scenarios suggest, as the mass and speed of vehicles increases) when compared to the currently adopted systems. Utilization of these tunable response materials could also lower wear/pollution, 减轻或消除振动, 腐蚀, 以及其他与刹车相关的方面. And they could still be providing means for communication with e. g. radar, lidar, cameras, driver and internet if needed. These materials are equally rapidly being developed and numerous are readily available and used in other than 制动 (e. g. human-machine interactions, augmented/virtual reality, wearable devices, and others) designs. 它们在刹车中的应用, 不是明天, 但肯定是在可预见的未来, will change as the really “optimal performance could be further optimized” by employing a combined effort of “electrification” and adoption of new friction materials. The earlier the manufacturer of friction materials will be able to adopt this, 他们将获得更大的市场优势.

Professor Peter Filip works and teaches at the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Energy Progresses, 卡本代尔的南伊利诺伊大学. His areas of activities are in friction science, 纳米技术, 材料工程, and biomaterials at several institutions in the US, 欧洲, 和亚洲. He served as Director of the NSF sponsored Center for Advanced Friction Studies, 顾问, 专家证人, co-authored more than 500 scientific publications. Peter holds a DSc in Material Science and Engineering, MS and PhD in Physical Metallurgy from Ostrava, 捷克共和国. He is a member of and an instructor in Brake Academy.