Emission of 1.3–10 nm airborne particles from brake materials

Operation of transport vehicle brakes makes a significant contribution to airborne particulate matter in urban areas, which is subject of numerous studies due to the environmental concerns. We investigated the presence and number fractions of 1.3–10 nm airborne particles emitted from a low-metallic car brake material (LM), a non-asbestos organic car brake material (NAO) and a train brake cast iron against a cast iron. Particles were generated by a pin-on-disc machine in a sealed chamber and analyzed using a nano condensation nucleus counter, a CPC, and an FMPS. It was found that 1.3–4.4 nm particles are emitted during the friction. For the pairs with the LM and NAO, 1.3–4.4 nm particles predominate in number at temperatures above 160°C. The emission of the 1.3–4.4 nm particles precedes the emission of above 4.4 nm particles. For the cast iron pair, the number of 1.3–4.4 nm particles is smaller than the number of 4.4–10 nm particles. The findings suggest that brake materials produce a significant number of 1.3–4.4 nm airborne particles, and these particles should not be neglected in environmental and tribological studies.Copyright © 2017 American Association for Aerosol Research