For a long time, hard work has been done to reduce pollution from cars. This includes efforts to reduce electric vehicles, which do not emit CO2 and therefore cause less pollution. However, research shows that almost a third of the pollution caused by cars does not come from burning fossil fuels, but rather from wear and tear on the road, tyres and brakes. Bosch aims to reduce this percentage with a new brake disc, which has a special coating that prevents brake dust.
Bosch points to a study by the environmental agency in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, which shows that 32% of pollution from cars is caused by wear and tear on the road, tyres and brakes. Almost half of this pollution turns out to be brake dust, the substance released by brake wear. The iDisc is a disc brake fitted with a special coating that prevents brake dust. Bosch claims that this produces up to 90% less brake dust than when using a traditional disc brake.
Tungsten carbide
The coating is made of tungsten carbide and developed by Buderus Guss, a Bosch subsidiary. This coating is applied to a traditional disc brake. This involves mechanical, thermal and galvanic treatment of the friction ring, after which the coating is applied to the disc brake. According to Bosch, the coating offers several advantages. Not only does it reduce the release of brake dust by up to 90%, it also improves the brake's stopping power. The company says the braking power of the iDisc is comparable to that of a ceramic brake disc. Also, the iDisc - like a ceramic brake disc - is said to be less prone to brake fading. This is a phenomenon that occurs if the brake disc overheats. With brake fading, the braking force drops, which can lead to dangerous situations.
Also, the tungsten carbide coating reduces brake disc wear, giving the iDisc a life twice as long as a traditional brake disc. Finally, the coating prevents rust on the brake disc. This is an important benefit for electric vehicles in particular, according to Bosch, as these vehicles often recover energy during braking. Due to this process, less pressure is exerted on the brake disc, so rust on the friction ring is more likely to occur in traditional disc brakes in electric vehicles than in traditional cars.
High price
One drawback of the coating, incidentally, is its price. Bosch reports that the iDisc is currently three times more expensive than a traditional brake disc and three times cheaper than a ceramic brake disc. Bosch expects prices of the iDisc to fall as production is ramped up and the brake disc runs off the production line in larger numbers. The company plans to produce 20 million units of the iDisc annually. Production is due to start this month.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Source: Bosch
Source photo: Bosch
