Abstract: A brake pad or lining comprising a binder and a peroxidized fiber derived from an acrylic fiber said peroxidized fiber containing at least about 5 wt % bonded oxygen. The material has a relatively high coefficient of friction as well as good wear resistance and fade resistance and can be used in place of a conventional asbestos brake pad or lining.

Abstract: A method for forming a uniformly mixed fibrous mat which comprises feeding a continuous high tensile modulus reinforcing fibrous material and a pre-cut thermoplastic fibrous material with a lower melting point or softening point than the temperature at which the reinforcing fibrous material melts or is damaged to a rotating rotor which is provided with projections to thereby cut the continuous fibrous material and pluck the pre-cut fibrous material, dispersing the thus treated fibrous materials into an air flow to mix the same and thereafter collecting the resulting mixed materials on a net to yield the mat. The product can thereafter optionally be compressed under heat to melt only the thermoplastic fibrous material to thereby consolidate the mat.

Abstract: An acrylic carbon fiber with excellent thermal oxidation resistance, which contains 50 ppm or more of a phosphorus component (as phosphorus) and/or a boron component (as boron) and which contains 100 ppm or more of a zinc component (as zinc) and/or a calcium component (as calcium), and which suffers a fiber weight reduction of about 20% or less upon standing for 3 hours in air at 500.degree. C.

Abstract: A process for continuously producing carbon fibers which comprises preoxidizing polyacrylonitrile fibers containing at least about 90% by weight of acrylonitrile at a temperature of about 200.degree. to about 300.degree. C in an oxidizing atmosphere while allowing the fibers to shrink about 40 to about 70% (of the free shrinkage of the fibers determined under a load of 1 mg/d) with the progress of preoxidation; then carbonizing the preoxidized fibers at about 500.degree. to about 1,000.degree. C in a non-oxidizing atmosphere so that the shrinkage of the fibers finally becomes about 40 to about 70% (of the free shrinkage of the preoxidized fibers determined when the fibers are placed under a load of 1 mg/d and heated at 1,000.degree. C for 15 minutes); and then heat treating the carbonized fibers at constant length at a temperature of up to about 3,000.degree. C in a non-oxidizing atmosphere.