This study examines the friction and wear of ceramic matrix composites designed for use in automotive brake discs. The composites are produced by reinforcing a SiC matrix with carbon fibers using a liquid silicon infiltration method. C/C-SiC composites with two different compositions are fabricated to examine the compositional effect on the tribological properties. The tribological properties are evaluated using a scale dynamometer with a low-steel type friction material. The results show that the coefficient of friction is determined by the composition of the composite, which affects the propensity of friction film formation on the disc surface. A stable friction film on the disc surface also improves the wear resistance by diminishing the abrasive action of the disc. On the other hand, the friction film formation on the disc is affected by the applied pressure, and stable films are obtained at high pressures. This trend is prominent with discs with high Si content. However, both C/C/-SiC composites show superior performance in terms of the friction force oscillation, which is closely related to brake-induced vibration.

The corrosion resistance of 316L stainless steel coated with NiO-YSZ (Ni added yttria stabilized zirconia) was examined in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) environment. The NiO-YSZ coating was carried out using a sol-gel dip coating method, and the corrosion resistance and interfacial contact resistance (ICR) were determined by the composition and morphology of the NiO-YSZ film. The corrosion resistance increased with increasing Ni content in the NiO-YSZ film, but rapid corrosion was observed when the YSZ film contained more than 15 wt % Ni due to surface cracks. The polarization resistance was improved by several orders of magnitude when 316L stainless steel was coated with a 15 wt % NiO-YSZ film compared to bare 316L. The ICR of the NiO-YSZ film was decreased to that of bare 316L when the YSZ film contained 25 wt % NiO, suggesting the possible application of NiO-YSZ coated stainless steel for a bipolar plate.