Comparative tribological behavior of friction composites containing natural graphite and expanded graphite

In this study, expanded graphite and natural graphite were introduced into resin-based friction materials, and the tribological behavior of the composites was investigated. The tribo-performance of the two friction composites was evaluated using a constant speed friction tester. The results showed that the expanded graphite composite (EGC) displayed better lubricity in both the fading and the recovery processes. The wear rate of the EGC decreased by 22.43% more than that of the natural graphite composite (NGC). In the fading process, and the EGC enhanced the stability of the coefficient of friction. The recovery maintenance rate of the NGC was 4.66% higher than that of the EGC. It can be concluded that expanded graphite plays an important role in the formation of a stable contact plateau and can effectively reduce the wear.