Provided is a friction member (such as a disc brake pad) having light weight by reducing weight of a back plate and having improved durability after repeated braking. The friction member is specifically a friction member in which a friction material (overlying material) is disposed through an underlying material on one surface of a back plate comprising a material having a lower specific gravity than that of steel, wherein the underlying material comprises 30 mass % or more in total of a bonding material, an organic filler, and an organic fiber.

A friction material comprising: (a) at least one lubricant, wherein the at least one lubricant includes an amount of graphite, and wherein at least about 30 percent by weight of the graphite has a particle size of greater than about 500 microns using a sieve analysis; (b) at least one metal containing constituent for imparting reinforcement, thermal conductivity, and/or friction when the friction material is brought into contact with a movable member, wherein the at least one metal containing constituent includes iron and an iron containing compound; (c) a micro-particulated material; (d) one or more filler materials; (e) optionally at least one processing aid; (f) a balance being an organic binder, wherein the organic binder has less than 1 percent by weight of free phenol; wherein the friction material is free of asbestos and substantially devoid of copper.

A friction disk may comprise a first wear surface formed from a carbon fiber-carbon matrix composite material. A wear plug may be located in an opening defined by the carbon fiber-carbon matrix composite material. The wear plug may extend axially from the wear surface. The wear plug may comprise a rod or a particulate.

The present invention provides a friction material and a brake pad having excellent wear resistance while exhibiting a high friction coefficient under high-temperature and high-speed conditions. A friction material containing: 40 mass % or more and 80 mass % or less of a matrix containing at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Ni and Fe; 10 mass % or more and 30 mass % or less of inorganic particles containing zircon particles, titania particles, and mullite particles; and 10 mass % or more and 30 mass % or less of a lubricant containing at least one kind selected from the group consisting of graphite, molybdenum disulfide, boron nitride and calcium fluoride, wherein a content of the zircon particles is 30 vol % or more and 36 vol % or less, a content of the titania particles is 30 vol % or more and 36 vol % or less, and a content of the mullite particles is 30 vol % or more and 36 vol % or less with respect to a total content of 100 vol % of the zircon particles, the titania particles, and the mullite particles.

A method of pitch infiltration of a densified preform may comprise disposing a pitch on a densified preform surface; heating the pitch and making the pitch into an anisotropic network structure; guiding the pitch through the densified preform in a predetermined direction; aligning the pitch in a predetermined orientation; and stabilizing the pitch. The method may result in a carbon/carbon part having increase wear life, enhanced oxidation protection, and/or reduced moisture sensitivity.

An asbestos-free friction material having at least one of the group consisting of inorganic, organic and metallic fibers, at least one binder, at least one friction modifier or lubricant and at least a filler or abrasive, wherein the binder is almost completely and exclusively inorganic and is constituted almost exclusively by a hydrated geopolymer or a blend of hydrated geopolymers.

Composite parts (10), methods of making the same (400), and tooling systems (200) for making the same are disclosed. According to one example, a high-pressure die casting process is used to manufacture a composite part (10) that is made from a composite metal material (12) with a metal matrix phase (20) and a particle phase (22) and includes an interior region (14) and an exterior region (16), where an average concentration of the particle phase (22) in the composite metal material (12) is higher in the exterior region (16) than in the interior region (14). An interior surface (206a, 206b) of a die mold (206) may be coated with a particle phase (22) (e.g., a ceramic-based material) and a molten metal matrix phase (20) (e.g., an aluminum-based material) may then be introduced into the die mold (206) such that a composite part (10) is formed with an exterior region (16) or outer layer that is particle-rich compared to an interior region (14).

A fiber preform defining an annulus extending along a central longitudinal axis. The fiber preform includes a plurality of layers extending in an axial direction and a circumferential direction relative to the longitudinal axis. Each layer of the plurality of layers includes a plurality of elongate fibers. The plurality of elongate fibers include a plurality of elongate axial fibers extending substantially in the axial direction and a plurality of elongate circumferential fibers extending substantially in the circumferential direction. The fiber preform also includes a plurality of radial fibers extending substantially in the radial direction. The plurality of radial fibers mechanically bind one or more adjacent layers of the plurality of layers. At least 40% of the plurality of elongate fibers extend substantially in the axial direction.

A method that includes winding a composite fabric around a mandrel to form a plurality of layers defining an annulus extending along a central longitudinal axis, where the composite fabric includes a plurality of elongate axial fibers extending substantially in an axial direction relative to the longitudinal axis and a plurality of elongate circumferential fibers extending substantially in a circumferential direction relative to the longitudinal axis; and introducing, into at least a portion of the plurality of layers, a plurality of radial fibers extending substantially in the radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis, where the plurality of radial fibers mechanically bind one or more adjacent layers of the plurality of layers.

A method of manufacturing a ceramic matrix composite component includes pressure casting a fibrous preform with a slurry comprising boron carbide and densifying the fibrous preform using a liquid source of carbon. The method may include forming holes in the fibrous preform before pressure casting the fibrous preform with the slurry. The method may also include sintering the boron carbide after the pressure casting. In various embodiments, the sintering may be performed before the densifying.