The friction brake works as an indispensable guarantee for regular work and safety operation of vehicles and industrial equipments. Friction and wear behaviors of brake's friction materials are considered as an important subject. In this article, friction materials were classified by matrix categories, and their major components were introduced first. Then, the advantages and disadvantages of each friction material were summarized and analyzed. Furthermore, the microcontacting behaviors on friction interface and the formation mechanism of various friction films were discussed. Finally, the influential rules and mechanism of braking conditions (temperature, pressure, and velocity) on the friction and wear behaviors of friction materials were summarized. It is concluded that the friction film, an intermediate product in braking, is greatly beneficial to protect friction materials from being seriously abraded. The braking conditions have complicated influences on friction and wear behaviors of brake. Generally, the friction coefficient tends to be fairly low while the wear rate increases rapidly under a condition with high temperature, braking pressure, or initial braking speed.

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to describe some tribological experiments which were executed to find the influence of braking pressure on tribological performance of non-asbestos brake shoe used in mine hoister during its emergency braking. Design/methodology/approach -The WSM-3 non-asbestos brake shoe, which has been widely used in mine hoister, was selected as experimental material. Some tribological experiments of the brake shoe sliding on 16Mn steel were investigated on the X-DM friction tester by simulating of emergency braking conditions of mine hoister. Three kinds of tribological indexes: friction coefficient, stability coefficient of friction coefficient, and wear rate were considered to score the tribological performance and the morphology of worn surfaces were observed through the S-3000N scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to explore the tribological mechanisms. Findings -It was found first, that the instant friction coefficient is not constant during emergency braking. After a short climbing period, it rises gradually to steady value. Second, with the increasing of braking pressure, the mean friction coefficient rises first then falls, while its stability coefficient falls gradually. The wear rate rises continuously with the braking pressure increasing. Also, the rising velocity of wear rate at high pressure is higher than it is at low pressure. Third, the instant surface temperature rises first then falls during braking and the mean surface temperature rises continuously with the braking pressure increasing. Originality/value -It is found that the increasing of braking pressure within a certain range is helpful for achieving a high friction coefficient and a steady wear rate. But too high pressure will cause contrarily the falling of frictional performance and serious of wear performance. So it is not reliable to rise the braking pressure without limited during emergency braking.

Purpose -In order to improve the braking safety of mine hoisters, this paper aims to focus on the continuous repetitious emergency braking conditions to investigate an abnormal frictional phenomena called "Frictional catastrophe (FC)" and its mechanisms. Design/methodology/approach -The non-asbestos brake shoe of a mine hoister was selected as frictional material and its paring material is 16Mn steel. The tribological properties of the brake shoe were tested on the pad-on-disc friction tester by the simulation of continuous emergency braking conditions. The thermal analysis experiments, the temperature field simulations and the SEM analysis of the brake shoe were accomplished to reveal the mechanisms of the FC. Findings -It was found that the friction coefficient of the brake shoe sometimes falls suddenly during braking. This abnormal frictional phenomena is called "Frictional catastrophe (FC)". It is considered that the friction heat, which is accumulated rapidly by the braking on the surface of the brake shoe, makes the surface layer material qualitatively change from the solid state to a mixed state composed of gases, liquids and solid. The frictional modality of the braking changes accordingly from dry friction to lubrication with gases and liquids. The sudden lubrication makes the friction coefficient fall suddenly and induces the FC phenomena. Originality/value -An abnormal tribological phenomena called "Frictional catastrophe (FC)" was found in this paper. The investigations about the behaviors and mechanisms of the FC are considered helpful for improving the braking safety of mine hoisters and other machines.

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Purpose -In order to improving the braking reliability and assuring the driving safety of automobiles, this paper aims at the wear performance and its online monitoring of its brake lining. Design/methodology/approach -The wear performance of the semimetal brake lining for automobiles was investigated on a self-made braking tester for disc brakes. Based on the experimental data, an intelligent forecasting model for the wear rate was established by the artificial neural network (ANN) technology. And by taking it as a core, an online braking wear monitoring system for automobiles was designed. Findings -It is shown that the wear rate rises obviously with the increasing of both initial braking velocity and braking pressure. By the contrast, the initial braking velocity affects the wear rate more seriously. The ANN model trained by the experimental data shows favorable capability for predicting of the wear rate. The big forecasting errors at high velocity and heavy load should be attributed to the jumping of the wear rate at this period. Based on the existed sensors and electronic control unit system of automobiles, the online braking wear monitoring system can be established easily by the ANN technology. Originality/value -A self-made braking tester for disc brakes was used to test the wear performance, which can simulate better the actual disc braking conditions than the standard pin-on-disc friction tester. An online braking wear monitoring system was designed to help improving the braking reliability and safety of automobiles.