Brake Disc Diffusion Layer for Durable Wear and Corrosion Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional brake disks suffer from short-term protection against corrosion and wear, leading to premature malfunction and increased maintenance needs, especially in electric and hybrid vehicles, due to the rubbing off of anticorrosion coatings during braking operations, resulting in noise issues and reduced braking performance.
Innovation Solution
A brake disk with a diffusion layer composed of iron, aluminum, and silicon, formed through a thermal treatment process, providing sustained protection against corrosion and wear without additional surface coatings, applied to both friction surfaces and ventilation ducts, enhancing adhesion and preventing iron oxide formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional anticorrosion coatings are applied to friction surfaces, then short-term corrosion protection is achieved, but the coating rubs off during braking operations causing noise and reduced braking performance
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful coating layer is completely removed from the friction surfaces, extracting only the necessary corrosion protection function through a diffusion layer formed within the base material rather than as a surface coating. This eliminates the rubbing-off problem while maintaining corrosion protection.
Solution Approach 2:
A diffusion layer is formed in advance during the manufacturing process, creating corrosion-resistant iron aluminides within the base material before the brake disk enters service. This preliminary formation of protective structures ensures long-term durability without requiring surface coatings that would wear away.
2Reliability
If surface coatings are applied to protect friction surfaces, then corrosion resistance is improved, but material costs and production complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The corrosion protection function is merged with the base material itself through diffusion layer formation. The protective iron aluminide layer is created within the steel or gray iron matrix, combining the structural material with the protective function into a single integrated component, eliminating separate coating applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The chemical composition and microstructure of the base material are changed through controlled diffusion processes during heat treatment. By adjusting temperature, time, and atmospheric parameters, a corrosion-resistant diffusion layer is formed within the material, transforming the base material properties to achieve protection without adding external layers.
3Reliability
If a diffusion layer is formed through thermal treatment, then long-term antiwear and anticorrosion properties are achieved, but production time and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal treatment parameters (temperature, time, atmosphere) are optimized to achieve the desired diffusion layer thickness and composition with minimal energy input. By precisely controlling these parameters, the diffusion process is accelerated while maintaining protection quality, reducing overall energy consumption compared to conventional approaches.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves long-term antiwear and anticorrosion properties, reducing noise and maintenance needs, and enabling a weight-optimized, cost-effective brake disk design with improved durability and reduced material costs.
Implementation Method 1
a diffusion layer formed from iron, aluminum and silicon present within the main metallic body at least in the region of the friction surfaces has a layer thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.6 mm and is formed collectively with the steel or gray iron of the main metallic body via diffusion processes
Implementation Method 2
formed through a thermal treatment process
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention concerns the field of vehicle technology and industrial-plant technology and relates to a brake disc provided with protection from wear and corrosion and to a method for production thereof. The known solutions have the disadvantage that the coating for providing protection from corrosion and wear is applied to the frictional surfaces of the brake disc and is rubbed off straight away during the first braking operations. The present invention addresses the problem of providing a brake disc that has improved and durable protection from corrosion and wear. The significantly improved properties of the brake disc in terms of protection from corrosion and wear are achieved according to the invention by at least the region of the frictional surfaces (2) having an AlSi-based diffusion layer (3), which has a layer thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.6 mm and is formed in the process of interaction with the steel or grey cast iron of the metal main body (1). The brake disc according to the invention can be used for example in vehicles or as a braking system for industrial brakes or in wind turbines.