Abstract: A mold of a brake pad friction material, including a mold member fitted into a mold frame into which a powder material of the brake pad friction material is put, in which the mold member is configured such that a pressing surface in a surface of the mold member, which forms a region abutting the powder material put into a mold frame, has a concave shape that is formed by being gradually recessed from both end portion sides to a center portion side of the pressing surface.

Abstract: A mold of a brake pad friction material, including a mold member fitted into a mold frame into which a powder material of the brake pad friction material is put, in which the mold member is configured such that a pressing surface in a surface of the mold member, which forms a region abutting the powder material put into a mold frame, has a concave shape that is formed by being gradually recessed from both end portion sides to a center portion side of the pressing surface.

Abstract: A friction material, including a fibrous reinforcement, a friction modifier, a lubricant and a binder, comprising a water-repellent fluoropolymer incorporated therein. The further incorporation of an alkaline metal salt makes it possible to render the matrix more hydrophilic and hence reduce creep noise. The foregoing fluoropolymer is one selected from the group consisting of ethylene tetrafluoride polymer, tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer and polyvinylidene fluoride or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A process for producing a friction material is disclosed, which comprises integrally bonding a preform of a friction material molding compound by heat-forming to a metallic backing plate which has been formed into a given shape and has undergone degreasing and priming, said heat-forming being conducted after the backing plate has been preheated to a temperature about equal to the heat-forming temperature to be used. The process is effective in simplifying the temperature control conducted in the heat-forming step and in providing high-quality friction materials always having stable physical properties and performances.

Abstract: In a friction material composition containing a fiber base, and a binder, a novolak type phenolic resin having a mean molecular weight of from 3500 to 5000 is used as the binder.