High temperature phenolic resins and friction elements prepared therefrom

A friction element having a cured organic thermosettable binder resin with filler dispersed and bonded therein, said binder resin comprising:

• a physical blend of
• a. 10 to 100 weight percent, based on resin solids, of a curable resin which is the acid-catalyzed reaction product of
• (1) at least one phenolic compound having the formula ##STR10## wherein each R independently represents an aliphatic group of 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or an aryl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, q is 1, 2, or 3, and z is 0, 1, or 2;
• (2) at least one naphthalenic compound having the formula ##STR11## wherein each R.sup.1 independently is a halo or an aliphatic group of 1 to 15 carbon atoms, and
• v is 0, 1, 2, or 3;
• and
• (3) formaldehyde;
• the mole ratio of naphthalenic compound:phenolic compound:formaldehyde in said composition being in the range of 1:0.8-5:1-10,
• b. 0 to 90 weight percent, based on curable binder resin solids, of prior art resins selected from cashew nut shell liquid binder resin, bodied linseed oil, oil-modified phenolic resins, and mixtures thereof, and
• c. 5 to 10 weight percent, based on curable binder resin solids of formaldehyde donor compounds.

A friction particle having a cured organic thermosettable binder resin and optionally having filler dispersed and bonded therein, said binder resin comprising:

• a physical blend of
• a. 10 to 100 weight percent, based on resin solids, of a curable resin which is the acid-catalyzed reaction product of
• (1) at least one phenolic compound having the formula ##STR12## wherein each R independently represents an aliphatic group of 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or an aryl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms,
• q is 1, 2, or 3, and
• z is 0, 1, or 2;
• (2) at least one naphthalenic compound having the formula ##STR13## wherein each R.sup.1 independently is a halo or an aliphatic group of 1 to 15 carbon atoms, and
• v is 0, 1, 2, or 3;
• and (3) formaldehyde;
• the mole ratio of naphthalenic compound:phenolic compound:formaldehyde in said composition being in the range of 1:0.8-5:1-10,
• b. 0 to 90 weight percent, based on curable binder resin solids, of prior art resins selected from cashew nut shell liquid binder resin, bodied linseed oil, oil-modified phenolic resins, and mixtures thereof, and
• c. 5 to 10 weight percent, based on curable binder resin solids of formaldehyde donor compounds.

A method of preparing a friction element comprising the steps of:

• a. admixing
• (1) a curable organic thermosettable binder resin, said resin comprising a physical blend of
• (a) 10 to 100 weight percent, based on resin solids, of the curable acid-catalyzed reaction product of
• (i) at least one phenolic compound having the formula ##STR14## wherein each R independently represents an aliphatic group of 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or an aryl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, q is 1, 2, or 3, and z is 0, 1, or 2;
• (ii) at least one naphthalenic compound having the formula ##STR15## wherein each R.sup.1 independently is a halo or an aliphatic group of 1 to 15 carbon atoms, and v is 0, 1, 2, or 3;
• and
• (iii) formaldehyde
• the mole ratio of naphthalenic compound:phenolic compound:formaldehyde in the resin being in the range of 1:0.8-5:1-10,
• (b) 0 to 90 weight percent, based on curable binder resin solids, of prior art resins selected from bodied cashew nut shell liquid resin, bodied linseed oil, oil-modified phenolic resins, and mixtures thereof, and
• (c) 5 to 10 weight percent, based on curable binder resin solids, of formaldehyde donor compounds, and (2) a filler material, and
• b. forming the mixture into the desired shape, and
• c. curing said binder resin.

A composition of matter comprising a physical blend of

• a. 10 to 95 weight percent, based on resin solids, of a curable resin which is the acid-catalyzed reaction product of
• (1) at least one phenolic compound having the formula ##STR16## wherein each R independently represents an aliphatic group of 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or an aryl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, q is 1, 2, or 3, and z is 0, 1, or 2;
• (2) at least one naphthalenic compound having the formula ##STR17## wherein each R.sup.1 independently is a halo or an aliphatic group of 1 to 15 carbon atoms, and
• v is 0, 1, 2, or 3;
• and (3) formaldehyde;
• the mole ratio of naphthalenic compound:phenolic compound:formaldehyde in said composition being in the range of 1:0.8-5:1-10;
• said resin being a polymeric structure of randomly aligned units having the structure:
• ##STR18## wherein a, b, c, d, and e are integers having a value of 0 to 1000;
• q, v, and z are as defined above,
• with the proviso that (d+e) is greater than zero;
• and
• b. 5 to 90 weight percent, based on curable binder resin solids, of prior art resins selected from bodied cashew nut shell liquid resin, bodied linseed oil resin, and mixtures thereof.