When shopping for car brakes, two types often come up: ceramic and steel. These aren’t just different names; the materials themselves set the two apart, influencing performance, durability, and price.
Ceramic brakes, as the name hints, are made largely from ceramic material and embedded with copper fibers. This concoction allows them to withstand high temperatures from friction without fading away too fast. Their construction means they’re lighter, reducing the unsprung weight of the vehicle and slightly boosting its performance and fuel efficiency.
The key distinctions between ceramic and steel brakes boil down to their composition. Ceramic brakes offer a quieter ride with less dust and a longer lifespan, but they generally cost more upfront. Steel brakes, on the other hand, are more affordable and provide a high level of performance, especially in everyday driving conditions.
Surface Transforms plc (LON:SCE) is a manufacturer of next-generation carbon-ceramic brake discs for automotive and aircraft applications and has been certified to IS9001-2000 since 2008 and was certified to TS16949 automotive quality accreditation and AS9100C aerospace quality accreditation in 2015.