Increasing the Performance of Motor Vehicle Clutches by the Use of Ceramics as Friction Material and the Resulting Effects on System Design

The experimental and constructive results illustrate that engineering-ceramic materials have a high potential in the field of dry running friction systems. According to first estimations, it is possible to build the vehicle clutch 53% smaller or to transmit up to 180% higher torque with the same size by an appropriate selection of the system friction pairing and an adequate ceramic design [1, 2]. The friction coefficient characteristic (decreasing friction coefficient above sliding speed) is unfavourable with regard to comfort (self-induced grab oscillations [3]) of the vehicle clutch. Furthermore, it is important to select the test procedure of the experimental analyses to be as close to the system as possible in order to obtain exact information concerning the target system.