Carbon friction materials

Abstract

Sintered, carbon friction materials are made from fibrous materials that are impregnated with resins prior to sintering. Preferably, non-woven fibrous materials are impregnated with phenolic resin and sintered at 400 to 800° C. The resulting material has an open porosity above 50 percent by volume.

1 . A sintered, carbon friction material made from fibrous materials that are impregnated with resin prior to sintering wherein the sintered material has a more open porosity than original. 
     
     
         2 . A sintered, carbon friction material according to  claim 1 , wherein the material is a sintered, porous carbon body having an open porosity of at least 50 percent by volume. 
     
     
         3 . A sintered, carbon friction material according to  claim 2  wherein the sintered, porous body has a substantial specific surface area. 
     
     
         4 . A sintered, carbon friction material according to  claim 2  wherein the sintered, porous body is made from aramid fibers. 
     
     
         5 . A sintered, carbon friction material according to  claim 2  wherein the sintered, porous body has pore voids and has a substantial volume of the pore voids. 
     
     
         6 . A sintered, carbon friction material according to  claim 2  wherein the sintered, porous body has an open pore structure. 
     
     
         7 . A sintered, carbon friction material according to  claim 1  wherein the fibrous materials are aramid fibers, cellulose fibers, organic fibers, glass fibers, carbon fibers or acrylic fibers or other synthetic fibers. 
     
     
         8 . A sintered, carbon friction material according to  claim 1 , having an increased resin pick-up above 40 percent. 
     
     
         9 . A sintered, carbon friction material according to  claim 1  having an increased resin pick-up above 60 percent. 
     
     
         10 . A sintered, carbon friction material according to  claim 7  including at least one filler selected from the group consisting of silica, diatomaceous earth, graphite, alumina, cashew dust, friction particles, carbon particles, nitriles, cashew nut oil particles, solid lubricants, Teflon and molybdenum disulfide. 
     
     
         11 . A sintered, carbon friction material according to  claim 1  wherein the sintered fibrous materials are aramid fibers, acrylic fibers or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . A sintered, carbon friction material according to  claim 1  wherein the fibrous materials are woven, paper or non-woven type fibrous materials. 
     
     
         13 . A sintered, carbon friction material according to  claim 1  wherein the fibrous materials are non-woven fibrous materials. 
     
     
         14 . A sintered, carbon friction material according to  claim 1  wherein the resin is a phenolic resin. 
     
     
         15 . A sintered, carbon friction material according to  claim 2  wherein the sintered, porous carbon body is an open, three dimensional structure having voids therein. 
     
     
         16 . A sintered, carbon friction material made from fibrous materials that are impregnated with resin prior to sintering wherein the sintered material is a sintered, porous carbon body having a macro porosity. 
     
     
         17 . A sintered, carbon friction material according to  claim 16  wherein the sintered, porous body has an average void volume ranging from above 50% to 85% by volume, and wherein the sintered, porous body has pores ranging in mean average size from about 5 to about 100 microns in diameter. 
     
     
         18 . A sintered, carbon friction material according to  claim 16  wherein the sintered, porous body has an average void volume ranging from above 60% to 85% by volume, and wherein the sintered, porous body has pores ranging in mean average size from 5 to about 50 microns in diameter. 
     
     
         19 . A sintered, carbon friction material according to  claim 16  wherein the sintered, porous body has an average void volume ranging from 65% to 85% by volume, and wherein the sintered, porous body has pores ranging in mean average size from 5 to about 25 microns in diameter. 
     
     
         20 . A sintered, carbon friction material of  claim 1  used with a base material wherein the base material comprises about 5 to about 75%, by weight, of an aramid fiber; about 5 to about 75%, by weight, cellulose fibers, about 5 to about 75%, by weight, carbon fibers; and, about 5 to about 75%, by weight of a filler material. 
     
     
         21 . A sintered, carbon friction material of  claim 20  in the form of transmission bands. 
     
     
         22 . A sintered, carbon friction material of  claim 20  in the form of a clutch facing. 
     
     
         23 . A sintered, carbon friction material of  claim 20  in the form of a brake shoe lining. 
     
     
         24 . A sintered, carbon friction material of  claim 20  in the form of a synchronizer. 
     
     
         25 - 32 . (canceled)