A pin-on-disc study on the tribology of cast iron, sinter and composite railway brake blocks at low temperatures

Most freight wagons in the EU use cast iron brake blocks. Cast iron brake blocks have a stable braking capability in different environmental conditions, but wear down the wheel tread quickly. Therefore, there is a need to understand the tribology of other brake block materials. A pin-on-disc tribometer placed in a temperature-controlled chamber is used to investigate the tribology of cast iron, sinter and composite railway brake blocks at low ambient temperatures. Pins made from different brake blocks are tested with discs made from steel wheels. Both friction coefficient and wear are evaluated at five different temperatures from + 10 to − 30 °C. The cast iron block demonstrated the greatest wear at − 10 and − 20 °C, due to the ductile-to-brittle transition at low temperatures. The worn graphite from cast iron is likely to become a solid lubricant, reducing the friction at − 10 and − 20 °C. For the composite brake block, a gradual decrease in friction with decreasing temperature was found. The sinter brake block was not sensitive to changes in ambient temperature. The sliding speed in the current study is relatively low and further study at higher speed is suggested in order to evaluate the tribological performance of different brake blocks.