Provided is a sintered bearing formed mainly of an iron structure (33) and a copper structure (31) which are formed of a partially diffusion-alloyed powder (11) of an iron powder (12) and a copper powder (13). The sintered bearing includes a copper structure (31d) formed of a granular elemental copper powder (13′) having a grain diameter of 45 μm or less, the ratio of the copper structure (31d) being 10 mass % or less. With this, a further increase in strength of the sintered bearing can be realized.

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.

A bearing member 1 is provided with a coating layer 3 on an inner circumferential surface of a shaft hole 1A into which a shaft body 2 is to be fitted. The coating layer 3 is composed of a metal base material 3A and a heat conductive material 3B that is dispersed in the base material 3A and that has a thermal conductivity relatively higher than that of the base material 3A. The heat conductive material 3B has lengths Lb and Lc in directions B and C along a surface of the coating layer 3, longer than a length La in a thickness direction A of the coating layer 3, whereby thermal conductive characteristics in the directions B and C along the inner circumferential surface of the shaft hole 1A are enhanced. Thus, heat dissipation is improved, whereby temperature rise due to sliding contact with the shaft body 2 is suppressed, and seizure resistance is improved.

Embodiments of the invention relate to polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) including a polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) table having a structure for enhancing at least one of abrasion resistance, thermal stability, or impact resistance. In an embodiment, a PDC includes a PCD table. The PCD table includes a lower region including a plurality of diamond grains exhibiting a lower average grain size and at least an upper region adjacent to the lower region and including a plurality of diamond grains exhibiting an upper average grain size. The lower average grain size may be at least two times greater than that of the upper average grain size. The PDC includes a substrate having an interfacial surface that is bonded to the lower region of the PCD table. Other embodiments are directed methods of forming PDCs, and various applications for such PDCs in rotary drill bits, bearing apparatuses, and wire-drawing dies.

Methods for making a tribological bearing wear surface for a compressor component are provided. Such methods involve semi-solid metal casting, where an admixture of solid lubricant particles and a metal alloy material is heated to melt the metal alloy material, while the lubricant particles remain in a solid phase. The alloy material and solid lubricant have substantially different densities. The metal alloy material may be a copper, iron, or aluminum alloy, for example. The method further comprises mixing and cooling the admixture to form a semi-solid slurry admixture. Next, the method comprises introducing the semi-solid slurry admixture into a die. Finally, the semi-solid slurry admixture in the die is solidified to form a solid component having the solid lubricant particles homogenously distributed within a metal alloy material matrix, thus forming a metal matrix composite. Compressor components made from such methods are also provided.

A sliding member includes a back-metal layer and a sliding layer on the back-metal layer, and the sliding layer has a sliding surface. The sliding layer includes a synthetic resin and fibrous particles dispersed in the synthetic resin. A volume ratio of the fibrous particles in the sliding layer is 1 to 15%, and the fibrous particles are made of semi-graphite having a nano indenter hardness of 1000 to 5000 MPa. An average aspect ratio of the fibrous particles is not less than 5, where an aspect ratio is defined as a ratio of a major axis to a minor axis of the fibrous particle viewed from the sliding surface. An average grain size of the fibrous particles in cross-sectional view perpendicular to the sliding surface is 5 to 50 μm.

A sintered bearing is made of a sintered compact containing nickel silver (CuNiZn) as a base. In the sintered bearing, P is not added in the sintered compact. Alternatively, a content of P in the sintered compact is less than 0.05 mass % in terms of mass ratio to a total mass. Consequently, crystal grains constituting the sintered compact can be micronized. In particular, in the sintered bearing, an average crystal particle diameter of the crystal grains constituting the sintered compact is 20 m or less. Consequently, the mechanical strength and the vibration resisting properties can be improved, and the rotation shaft can be prevented from being damaged.

Provided is a sliding member capable of realizing the wear resistance effect by Si particles. The sliding member includes an aluminum alloy layer containing 7.0% by mass or more and 13.0% by mass or less of Sn, 6.5% by mass or more and 12.0% by mass or less of Si, 0.5% by mass or more and 3.0% by mass or less of Cu, unavoidable impurities, and a balance Al. Si particles are dispersed in the aluminum alloy layer. A Vickers hardness of a matrix of the aluminum alloy layer is 40 HV or more and 60 HV or less. A load resistance value, which is a product of a volume concentration and average area of the Si particles and the Vickers hardness of the matrix, is 0.00001 N or more and 0.00029 N or less.

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to bearing assemblies that include integrated lubrication, bearing apparatuses including such bearing assemblies, and related methods. For example, a lubricated bearing assembly may include a lubricant that may lubricate the bearing surface thereof during operation of the lubricated bearing assembly and/or bearing apparatus including the lubricated bearing assembly.

The sliding member includes an aluminum alloy layer containing 7.0% by mass or more and 13.0% by mass or less of Sn, 6.5% by mass or more and 12.0% by mass or less of Si, 0.5% by mass or more and 3.0% by mass or less of Cu, unavoidable impurities, and a balance Al. Si particles are dispersed in the aluminum alloy layer. A Vickers hardness of a matrix of the aluminum alloy layer is 40 HV or more and 60 HV or less. A load resistance value, which is a product of a volume concentration and average area of the Si particles and the Vickers hardness of the matrix, is 0.00001 N or more and 0.00029 N or less.