Advanced Brake Disc Materials

Carbon-ceramic and carbon-carbon composite brakes have been used in racing, sport car, and luxury vehicles for many years. Carbon brake technologies have been around for many years; The first development of the modern ceramic brake was made by British Engineers working in the railway industry in 1988. The objective was to reduce weight, the number of brakes per axle, as well as provide stable friction from very high speeds and all temperatures. The result was a carbon fibre reinforced ceramic process which is now used in various forms for automotive, railway, and aircraft brake applications

Carbon-carbon brake discs are composed of carbon fibre within a carbon matrix, exploiting the excellent thermal conductivity of graphite; among other things, they have been used in airplane brakes and F1.

Carbon-ceramic brake discs are composed of carbon fibre within a silicon carbide matrix (C/SiC). Carbon ceramic brakes are lightweight and have a very high specific heat and thermal conductivity, making them ideal as brake discs able to withstand over 1600 °C (2912°F). In comparison to iron discs carbon brake discs are an expensive option and thus delegating them for use mostly on high end applications and motorsport uses.

The early Lotus Elise models came with Aluminium metal matrix composite (MMC) brake discs. These brakes were also lightweight and a cost effective alternative to the carbon/ceramic variations available but they cannot operate at the same temperatures. However, the manufacturer for these discs closed down, and Lotus was forced to switch to a iron disc once again.

Recently there has been an increased interest in the use of aluminium MMC for brake discs, this is likely due to the drive to increase vehicle fuel efficiencies, reducing emissions.