Characterization of Complex Concentrated Alloys and Their Potential in Car Brake Manufacturing

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Metallurgical Engineering
• Automotive Engineering

Background:

• Automotive brake discs require materials with high strength, heat transfer, corrosion resistance, and low density.
• Current societal demands necessitate advanced materials for improved fuel efficiency and environmental impact.
• Complex concentrated alloys (CCAs) present a promising class of materials due to their tunable properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate novel complex concentrated alloys (CCAs) for automotive brake disc applications.
• To identify CCA compositions with superior mechanical, thermal, and corrosion properties.
• To evaluate the potential of CCAs for enhancing vehicle performance and sustainability.

Main Methods:

• Thermodynamic criteria calculations including entropy and enthalpy of mixing.
• CALPHAD (Calculation of Phase Diagrams) modeling for phase structure prediction.
• Alloy synthesis via induction furnace under protective atmosphere followed by annealing.

Main Results:

• Synthesized CCA samples exhibited uniform phase distribution and high melting temperatures (>1000 °C).
• Achieved high hardness values ranging from 1000-1400 HV.
• Demonstrated excellent corrosion resistance (<0.2 mm/year in 3.5 wt.% NaCl) and low density (<6 g/cm³).

Conclusions:

• The studied CCAs possess a favorable combination of properties for advanced brake disc applications.
• These materials meet critical performance requirements for high-breaking forces, heat, and corrosive environments.
• The developed CCAs contribute to improved fuel efficiency and reduced environmental impact in vehicles.