NBR Powder Modified Phenolic Resin Composite: Influence of Graphite on Tribological and Thermal Properties

The incorporation of graphite as a solid lubricant in the formulation of brake friction material is well-recognized practice. However, achieving the desired level of performances using graphite is still a significant challenge, due to difficulty in dispersion and loading of graphite in composite materials. The present investigation was aimed at identifying the effect of graphite loading on the tribological and thermal properties of a composite made from phenolic resin modified with powdered acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR). Five composites were prepared with different proportions of graphite (0–40 phr) to the phenolic resin. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and thermal conductivity measurements were carried out to demonstrate the thermal stability and thermal conductivity behaviors. Both the thermal stability and thermal conductivity were found to increase with an increase in graphite content. On the other hand, the tribological properties were found to be optimum at a definite loading of graphite (30 phr). The change in surface morphology of these composites was studied before and after the friction test and correlated with the tribological properties. This investigation provides guidelines for achieving a high-performance composite using graphite for brake friction materials.