Development of Ecofriendly Automobile Brake Pad Using Different Grade Sizes of Palm Kernel Shell Powder

Abstract

Serious health repercussions/risks such as asbestosis and mesothelioma have engendered automakers to earnestly consider the use of non-asbestos organic (NAO) brake pads in contemporary manufacturing. On this account, sustainable agro waste with higher heating value compared to other lignocellulosic biomass is considered as a better alternative to asbestos. As a result, palm kernel shell (PKS) is chosen and employed as a friction lining material for the designed NAO-based brake pad. The friction material was based on a simple formulation with five ingredients; PKS as base material while phenolic resin, steel slag, iron waste and carbon black were other additives. Mixtures of these constituents were obtained at varying compositions by using PKS of grade sizes 100 µm, 200 µm and 350 µm respectively. A mild steel mould shaped like that of a Pathfinder Jeep’s brake pad was fabricated for compacting the formed composite. The produced samples were subjected to tests such as hardness, compressive strength, wear, flame resistance, porosity, density and water absorption tests. The results affirm that grain size has substantial effects on compressive strength, hardness, porosity, ash content and wear rate of the brake pad. 100 µm grain sizes of PKS produced the optimum brake pad. Thus, the results show that PKS can be efficiently used for asbestos replacement in brake pad production.