Significant enhancement on the mechanical and tribological performances of paper‐based friction materials by designing silicone@SiO2 core‐shell structure

Abstract Under the heavy‐loading harsh condition, achieving prominent mechanical and tribological performances of paper‐based friction materials are an extreme demand for meeting their application in the braking of vehicles. In this study, modifying carbon fiber with epoxy groups and designing silicone@SiO 2 core‐shell structure as efficient and feasible strategies, were employed to boost the mechanical and tribological properties of friction materials. The above core‐shell hybrid, acted as an effective interfacial linker, contributed to forming strong mechanical interlocks and increasing chemical cross‐linking density at the interphase. The tensile and interlaminar shear strength of silicone@SiO 2 ‐modified sample were improved by 28.6% and 12.9%, respectively. Meanwhile, the toughness of silicone@SiO 2 ‐modified sample showed a 102.82% increase. Moreover, compared with pristine sample, the dynamic friction coefficient of silicone@SiO 2 ‐modified sample increased from 0.1020 to 0.1202, while the wear rate decreased from 0.617 × 10 −8 cm 3 J −1 to 0.432 × 10 −8 cm 3 J −1 .