Effect of NBR (Nitrile Butadiene Rubber) on flexural strength of composite friction brake

The friction brake is one of the key components in vehicle braking system. Friction mechanism in the braking system demands the brake lining to maintain its fraction coefficient and mechanical properties in various conditions. Research on the manufacturing process and material selection in the production of composite friction brake has been extensively conducted to obtain the expected characteristics. The purpose of research was to investigate the effect of the Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) on the flexural strength of brake composites which composed of NBR, phenolic resin, cashew dust, fly ash, cantala fiber, graphite and CaCO3. NBR is commonly used as the filler composite in the production of composite friction brake. NBR is the copolymers of synthetic rubber made of acrylonitrile and butadiene which is resistant to heat and pressure. The three-point bending method was conducted to obtain flexural strength of composite friction brake materials according to the ASTM D790 standard. The result showed that NBR had effect on the flexural strength of the specimens. The flexural strength of the composite friction brake increases with increasing NBR filler content. NBR increases the flexural strength of composites due to its effect on improvement of the interfacial strength between fiber and matrix. The additions of 12% fractions volume NBR have the highest flexural strength.