Combustion-synthesis process for making friction materials

A self-propagating, aluminothermic process for producing a friction material, comprising the steps of sequentially:

• (a) providing a composition comprised of a mixture of aluminum, iron, and at least one metal oxide, wherein:
• 1. said metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of the oxides of iron, copper, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, cobalt, manganese, lead, tin, silicon, bismuth, aluminum, and mixtures thereof;
• 2. at least 80 weight percent of said composition is comprised of said mixture of said aluminum, said iron, and said metal oxide(s);
• 3. said aluminum and said iron comprise from about 20 to about 80 weight percent of said mixture;
• 4. said metal oxide(s) comprise from about 80 to about 15 weight percent of said mixture;
• 5. the weight of said aluminum in said mixture represents from about 5 to about 35 weight percent of the combined weight of aluminum and iron in the mixture;
• and
• 6. the weight of said iron in said mixture represents from about 65 to about 95 weight percent of the combined weight of the aluminum and iron in the mixture;
• (b) forming said composition into a green body;
• (c) preheating said green body to a temperature of from about 50 to about 400 degrees centigrade;
• (d) igniting said preheating green body by contacting it with a heat source at a temperature of at least about 700 degrees centigrade;
• and
• (e) reacting said aluminum with said metal oxide(s), thereby densifying said green body.