Industry Begins Shift to Low-Copper Brake Pads

By 2021 U.S. auto industry will adopt new formulas for brake friction material that contain less than 5% copper by weight, notes Automotive News. Typical brake pads used in Europe, Asia and the U.S. contain as much as 20% copper.

The transition was formalized in 2010 when the states of California and Washington passed laws requiring the change to protect salmon and other wildlife. Meeting the requirement, which is supported by the auto industry, will result in a nationwide shift to the new friction material blends.

Earlier this year Federal-Mogul Corp. announced a new line of low- and zero-copper brake materials under the Eco-Friction brand. The company, whose work was prompted by the laws, says it analyzed 1,500 materials to develop its new formula.

Scientists say as little as 10 micrograms of copper per liter of water can cripple a salmon's ability to find food by blocking its sense of smell. An environmental study by Washington state estimates that copper dust from vehicles accounts for 21% of the dozens of tons of copper deposited annually into Puget Sound.

Washington's law also orders the state's Dept. of Ecology to determine if brake pads containing less than 0.5% copper are feasible. AN notes that friction material contains dozens of ingredients, so altering the copper content is likely to trigger a complex change in the chemistry involved.