Microwave-assisted press cure processing of friction pads

A method for preventing thermal runaway in a work part made from a heat-curable material during microwave heating, said method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a heat curable material consisting essentially of solids suspended in a heat-curable resin binder;
• loading the heat-curable material in a die cavity having sidewalls forming a defined work part shape;
• conforming the heat-curable material to the shape of the die cavity under the press of a ram;
• exposing the heat-curable material to microwaves cycling within a defined frequency range during said conforming step;
• and
• said preparing step including adding an effective quantity of a tuning agent to the heat-curable material, wherein the tuning agent is selected from the group consisting of:
• titania, Fe3O4, Co2O3, CuO, NiO, PbS, FeS2, CuFeS2, lampblack, graphite and carbon fiber.

A method for forming an in-mold cured brake pad, said method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a friction material compound consisting essentially of organic, inorganic and metallic solids suspended in a heat-curable resin binder;
• loading the friction material in a die cavity having sidewalls forming a defined work part shape;
• conforming the friction material to the shape of the die cavity under the press of a ram;
• exposing the friction material to microwaves during said conforming step;
• and
• said exposing step including passing the microwaves through a generally lossless window in the sidewall of the die cavity for transmitting substantially all of the electromagnetic energy in the microwaves into the die cavity while preventing the escape of the friction material from the die cavity during said conforming step.