Effects of the Addition of Rare Earth on Properties of Paper-Based Friction Materials

To investigate the effects of the addition of rare earth (RE) on properties of paper-based friction materials, six samples with LaCl₃•7H₂O contents of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5wt% were prepared. The results showed that adding a certain amount of RE can greatly improve the interfacial bonding strength, but when the content of RE exceeds 3wt%, it has a negative effect on the bonding strength. In addition, with the increase of RE contents, the thermal diffusivities and thermal conductivities of the materials reached maximum values at 3wt%. When the RE content is 4wt%, the sample has the best wear resistance and the friction coefficient also reaches 0.1449. This work indicated that the addition of the RE can immensely enhance the performance of paper-based friction materials, and lays a foundation for the improvement of interfacial bonding strength of paper-based friction materials in the future.