Increased corrosion problems have been observed in brake discs of electric cars compared to conventional cars.
The material used for discs in most vehicles is cast iron due to its excellent mechanical and thermal properties, unfortunately weak corrosion resistance is one of its shortcomings as a brake disc material.
In conventional cars, regular use of the brakes removes the oxide layer on the surface of the discs. However, this is not the case in electric vehicles because most of the braking is done by a regenerative braking system, which means that the friction braking system is used less frequently. This leads to a build-up of oxides on the brake disc surface.
The problem with disc corrosion is that it can cause variations in brake disc thickness (DTV). DTV is one of the main causes of “judder” in the brake system, causing noise and vibration and in the case of electric vehicles cold judder is more frequent.
At rimsa we are working on the ¨Green Carbide ̈ project to tackle the problem of brake disc corrosion. The aim of the project is to develop a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative for coating rotors with a metal matrix composite material designed from stainless steel and titanium carbide.
Find out more about our solutions here
