Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an adhesive layer, bearing including the adhesive layer, and methods of forming. The adhesive layer can include a mixture of a first polymer, a second polymer, and a third polymer, wherein the second polymer includes ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, and the third polymer includes a modified ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, ethylene tetrafluoroethylene hexafluoropropylene, or a combination thereof. In a particular embodiment, the first polymer can include an aromatic polymer. In another embodiment, the adhesive layer can have a tensile stress in an extrusion direction of at least 30 MPa.

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to tilting pad bearing assemblies, bearing apparatuses including the tilting pad bearing assemblies, and methods of using the bearing apparatuses. The tilting pad bearing assemblies disclosed herein include a plurality of tilting pads. At least some of the superhard tables exhibit a thickness that is at least about 0.120 inch and/or at least two layers having different wear and/or thermal characteristics.

The present invention provides a silicon nitride sintered body including silicon nitride crystal grains and a grain boundary phase, wherein the silicon nitride crystal grains are covered with the grain boundary phase and width of the grain boundary phase is 0.2 nm or more. It is preferable that the width of the grain boundary phase is 0.2 nm to 5 nm. Additionally, it is preferable that the silicon nitride sintered body includes 15% by mass or less of the grain boundary phase. According to the above-described configuration, it is possible to provide a high-temperature-resistant silicon nitride sintered body in which degradation of the grain boundary phase under high temperature environment is suppressed. This silicon nitride sintered body is suitable for constituent material of a high-temperature-resistant member, use environment of which is 300 C. or higher.

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to tilting pad bearing assemblies, bearing apparatuses including the tilting pad bearing assemblies, and methods of using the bearing apparatuses. The tilting pad bearing assemblies disclosed herein include a plurality of tilting pads. At least some of the superhard tables exhibit a thickness that is at least about 0.120 inch and/or at least two layers having different wear and/or thermal characteristics.

Embodiments of the invention relate to bearing apparatuses in which one bearing surface of the bearing apparatus includes diamond, while another bearing surface includes a non-diamond superhard material (e.g., silicon carbide). For example, a bearing apparatus may include a bearing stator assembly and a bearing rotor assembly. The bearing stator assembly and bearing rotor assembly each include a support ring and one or more superhard bearing elements generally opposed to one another. The bearing surface(s) of the rotor or stator may include diamond, while the bearing surface(s) of the other of the rotor or stator do not include diamond. Another bearing apparatus may include both thrust- and radial bearing components. The generally opposed thrust-bearing elements may include diamond, while the generally opposed radial bearing elements may not include diamond, but include a non-diamond superhard material, such as silicon carbide.

Embodiments of the invention relate to bearing apparatuses in which one bearing surface of the bearing apparatus includes diamond, while another bearing surface includes a non-diamond superhard material (e.g., silicon carbide). For example, a bearing apparatus may include a bearing stator assembly and a bearing rotor assembly. The bearing stator assembly and bearing rotor assembly each include a support ring and one or more superhard bearing elements generally opposed to one another. The bearing surface(s) of the rotor or stator may include diamond, while the bearing surface(s) of the other of the rotor or stator do not include diamond. Another bearing apparatus may include both thrust- and radial bearing components. The generally opposed thrust-bearing elements may include diamond, while the generally opposed radial bearing elements may not include diamond, but include a non-diamond superhard material, such as silicon carbide.

Embodiments of the invention relate to bearing apparatuses in which one bearing surface of the bearing apparatus includes diamond, while another bearing surface includes a non-diamond superhard material (e.g., silicon carbide). For example, a bearing apparatus may include a bearing stator assembly and a bearing rotor assembly. The bearing stator assembly and bearing rotor assembly each include a support ring and one or more superhard bearing elements generally opposed to one another. The bearing surface(s) of the rotor or stator may include diamond, while the bearing surface(s) of the other of the rotor or stator do not include diamond. Another bearing apparatus may include both thrust- and radial bearing components. The generally opposed thrust-bearing elements may include diamond, while the generally opposed radial bearing elements may not include diamond, but include a non-diamond superhard material, such as silicon carbide.

A rotary machine of the present invention is provided with: a bearing including an inner ring secured to an outer peripheral surface of a rotating element, an outer ring disposed outside the inner ring, and a plurality of rolling elements interposed between the inner ring and the outer ring; a bearing housing disposed outside the bearing and to which the outer ring is secured; a casing disposed outside the bearing housing and to which the bearing housing is secured; and a temperature difference reducer to reduce a difference between a temperatures of the outer and inner rings.

A sliding mechanism 1 includes a first sliding member 10 and a partner second sliding member 20 configured to slide relative to the first sliding member 10. The first sliding member 10 includes a matrix phase 11 and a hard phase 13 that is harder than the matrix phase 11, in which the hard phase 13 is embedded in the matrix phase 11 in a dispersed state. The second sliding member 20 includes a base 21 and a surface-treatment layer 23 that is formed on the sliding surface 20 of the base 21 and is harder than the matrix phase 11.

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to tilting pad bearing assemblies, bearing apparatuses including the tilting pad bearing assemblies, and methods of using the bearing apparatuses. The tilting pad bearing assemblies disclosed herein include a plurality of tilting pads. At least some of the superhard tables exhibit a thickness that is at least about 0.120 inch and/or at least two layers having different wear and/or thermal characteristics.