Manufacturing of Al-MMC brake discs from recycled Al-Si alloys
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Tekniska Högskolan i Jönköping AB |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 3 904 348 |
| Project duration | June 2022 - May 2025 |
| Status | Completed |
| Venture | The strategic innovation programme for Metallic material |
| Call | Sustainable metal industry - Material supply |
Important results from the project
The project addressed the challenges of using recycled aluminium alloys to produce aluminium-based composites. The results indicate that the use of recycled alloys is a valid possibility without the need to compromise the mechanical response and the thermophysical performance. The wear tests show that the aluminium composite has lower emissions compared to cast iron, making it a valid candidate for the brake discs of the future, complying with the Euro7 regulation.
Expected long term effects
The long-term effect of the project is hopefully to promote the use of the aluminium-based composites with recycled alloys in automotive components to promote the production of lightweight and sustainable vehicles of the future. The aluminium-based composite is a valid candidate material for reliable and environmentally friendly brake discs for electric vehicles.
Approach and implementation
The project was carried out with good collaboration between partners. The plan consisted of starting with comprehensive material characterisation of composite materials produced with different amounts of recycled matrix. The experiments covered microstructural analysis, mechanical properties at room and high temperature, thermophysical properties at room and high temperature, wear and fatigue testing. The different tests addressed the main properties required for reliable automotive brake discs.