Spectroscopic methods in the analysis of wear particles

Detailed characteristics wear particles formed in various brake pads were done. Our study was focused on identification structure and chemical composition of powder particles released by brake abrasion. The experimental studies were carried out using Mössbauer spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and magnetic measurements. Structure and chemical composition of the original brake pads and disc samples were compared with the results obtained for wear particles. The chemical and phase composition of wear particles is in large part similar to composition of the original brake pads. Wear particles contained mainly various types of iron oxides, iron and iron carbon metallic particles. The part of the wear particles showed paramagnetic behaviour at room temperature. The sample with fully paramagnetic wear particles behaviour was subjected low temperature Mössbauer and magnetic measurements. The results indicate transition interval corresponding to magnetically ordered states—ferro/antiferromagnetic. Graphic abstract