Expanded graphite and/or vermiculite are introduced into the friction lining mixture to eliminate or substantially reduce the amount of binder present therein. The friction lining at most contains from 2.5% by weight of binder. By omitting/reducing binder, the production is very stable and the friction linings can be easily reproduced. The process steps of hardening (including the hardening furnace) and scorching (including the necessary equipment) can be omitted when making such friction linings.

A friction plate for a clutch includes a face and a first friction material disposed on the face. The first friction material has a first composition including a first filler material at a first weight concentration of a total weight of the first friction material. A second friction material is disposed on the face and has a second composition that is different than the first composition and including a second filler material at a second weight concentration of a total weight of the second friction material. The second weight concentration is higher than the first weight concentration.

A preform for a carbon-carbon composite including a plurality of fibrous layers stacked and needled-punched together to form the preform in the shape of an annulus having an inner radial section and an outer radial section. Each fibrous layer includes a respective plurality of fabric segments comprising at least one of carbon fibers or carbon-precursor fibers. At least one fibrous layer includes a first fabric segment forming at least a portion the inner radial section, the first fabric segment defining a first segment bisector and a first fiber orientation angle, and a second fabric segment forming at least a portion the outer radial section, the second fabric segment defining a second segment bisector and a second fiber orientation angle, where the first and second segment bisectors are radially aligned and the first fiber orientation angle is different than the second fiber orientation angle.

A new iron-based powder containing a plurality of composite particles composed of a ferritic iron or iron-based porous 5 structural particles having at least one particulate friction modifier distributed in the pores and cavities of the structural particles and further containing at least one particulate stabilizer-sealer. The composite particle is especially suited to be used as a functional material in friction formulations such as brake pads and enable replacement of copper or copper-based materials used in such friction 10 material formulations.

A brake pad assembly having a consolidated lining comprised of an enhancement framework disposed within a tribological lining, the enhancement framework and tribological lining having substantially the same compressibility factor. The enhancement framework or tribological lining may advantageously be manufactured using an additive manufacturing technique.

A method for analyzing the wear behavior of brake pads of a brake system has at least the following steps: a) providing a brake system with at least one or more brakes, each with one or more brake pads which each have a pad carrier plate and a friction lining composed of at least two or more friction material layers which are composed of different friction materials; and at least one evaluation device; b) determining the wear which is brought about per brake during braking operations with at least one wear sensor per brake; c) determining the braking energy which is brought about per brake during braking operations with the evaluation device; d) repeated determination of an instantaneous gradient of a curve which relates the values determined in steps b) and c) and preferably a route information item to one another; and e) outputting a signal at an output device if the gradient changes.

A preform for a carbon-carbon composite including a plurality of fibrous layers superposed and needled-punched together. Each fibrous layer of the plurality of fibrous layers includes web fibers and tow fibers that each include at least one of carbon fibers or carbon-precursor fibers. The plurality of fibrous layers includes a first, a second, and a third fibrous layer, the third fibrous layer positioned between the first and the second fibrous layers. The third fibrous layer includes at least one of a ratio of web fibers to tow fibers that is less than a ratio of web fibers to tow fibers of the first fibrous layer, an areal weight that is greater than an areal weight of the first fibrous layer, or a pre-needled thickness that is greater than a pre-needled thickness the first fibrous layer.

A preform for a carbon-carbon composite including a plurality of fibrous layers stacked and needled-punched together to form the preform in the shape of an annulus having an inner radial section and an outer radial section. Each fibrous layer includes a respective plurality of fabric segments comprising at least one of carbon fibers or carbon-precursor fibers. At least one fibrous layer includes a first fabric segment forming at least a portion the inner radial section, the first fabric segment defining a first segment bisector and a first fiber orientation angle, and a second fabric segment forming at least a portion the outer radial section, the second fabric segment defining a second segment bisector and a second fiber orientation angle, where the first and second segment bisectors are radially aligned and the first fiber orientation angle is different than the second fiber orientation angle.

Provided is a friction material composition including: a binder; an organic filler; an inorganic filler; and a fiber substrate, in which a content of copper as an element is 0.5% by mass or less, the friction material composition contains at least one of phlogopite or biotite in a total of from 3% by mass to 9% by mass, and a graphite in an amount of from 2% by mass to 6% by mass, as the inorganic fillers, the at least one of phlogopite or biotite has an average particle size of from 340 m to 1,500 m, and the graphite has an average particle size of from 450 m to 1,100 m.

A brake shoe having brake linings for a brake apparatus includes a carrier element, and a first brake lining segment configured to be mounted on the carrier element, and a second brake lining segment configured to be mounted on the carrier element, the first brake lining segment and the second brake lining segment being spaced apart from one another in a mounted state, and the first brake lining segment and the second brake lining segment differing from one another with regard to material composition, force loading and/or shape to configure a friction profile.