A plastic bearing material of a bearing may include a block copolymer. The block copolymer may include structural blocks of two or more different polymers. A first polymer may include at least one of polyamide-imide and polybenzimidazole. A second polymer may include at least one of polydimethylsiloxane, methyl vinyl ether and polyisobutene. A method for manufacturing a plastic bearing material may include synthesizing a structural block of a first polymer and a structural block of a second polymer to define a block copolymer via a condensation reaction.

A laminate article can include a substrate and a layer of a heterogeneous mixture of a non-fluorinated polymer compound and a fluorinated polymer compound. The laminate article can include a gradual concentration gradient along an axis perpendicular to the substrate. The gradual concentration gradient can include the change of the amount of the non-fluorinated polymer and the fluorinated polymer compound relative to the axis perpendicular to the substrate. The layer can further include at least one filler. The laminate can be applied as a bearing material.

A compact bearing is produced by a sliding bearing and has a sealing arrangement for water pumps. The bearing includes a sliding bearing bushing that includes an inner sliding surface and a radial recess having an axial sliding surface, a shaft collar, and a wet-side shaft seal arranged between the wet side and the sliding bearing bushing. A dry-side shaft seal is arranged between the sliding bearing bushing and the dry side. A lubricant reservoir with a substrate, which is porous in at least some sections, is arranged between the wet-side shaft seal and the sliding bearing bushing. The lubricant reservoir includes, in pores of the substrate, a lubricant insoluble in water, and a volume of the lubricant reservoir and a volume of a lubricant filling a total volume of spaces between the wet-side shaft seal and the dry-side shaft seal.

A self-lubricating composite material is disclosed. The self-lubricating composite material can include discontinuous polymer fiber segments dispersed within a woven matrix of semi-continuous thermoplastic fiber. The woven matrix can be embedded within a thermosetting resin. Also disclosed are methods of manufacturing the self-lubricating composite material.

The method comprises depositing a coating of metal material on the inside surface of the body (4) of the stator (36), impregnating said coating with a self-lubricating composite material (20), machining internal cells (28) in the thickness of the coating (10), and machining orifices (34) leading into the cells.

A solar energy collection system can include support devices made with bearings. Such bearings can include an inner partially toroidal surface for sliding contact and support of an outer surface of a torque tube. The toroidal surface can be made with a single radius of curvature or multiple radiuses of curvature and cylindrical portions. The bearings can include connectors for connecting the bearing members to a support housing. The connectors can be tool-less connectors.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for mixtures, methods for making mixtures, articles, methods for making articles, and methods of using articles.

A rolling bearing having a sealing arrangement, preferably as a compact bearing and seal for water pumps, is proposed having two axially adjacent rolling-element rows between an outer ring and a shaft bearing section, and a wet-side shaft seal and a dry-side shaft seal. A lubricant reservoir with a substrate that is porous in at least some sections is arranged circumferentially in a radial contact to the shaft section and the outer ring; wherein the lubricant reservoir in pores of the substrate, includes a lubricant insoluble in water, and a volume of the lubricant reservoir and a volume of a lubricant filling with the lubricant take up a total volume of spaces between the wet-side shaft seal and the dry-side shaft seal.

A sliding member for a journal bearing is provided. A sliding layer includes fibrous particles dispersed in a synthetic resin, and has a sliding surface side region and an interface side region. The particles have an average particle size D.sub.sur, axi and D.sub.sur, cir respectively in an axial and circumferential cross-section in the sliding surface side region, and D.sub.int, axi and D.sub.int, cir respectively in axial and circumferential cross-sections in the interface side region. D.sub.sur, axi and D.sub.int, cir are 5-30 μm, and D.sub.sur, cir and D.sub.int, axi are 5 to 20% of respectively D.sub.sur, axi and D.sub.int, cir. A dispersion index of the particles having the major axis length of 20 μm or longer is 5 or more, both in the sliding surface side region in view of the axial cross-section and in the interface side region in view of the circumferential cross-section.

A rolling bearing includes an inner ring, an outer ring, rolling elements, and a retainer that holds the rolling elements. The retainer includes a metal portion and a sliding resin portion The metal portion has communication holes each having a plurality of openings on the surface of the metal portion, and the sliding resin portion is disposed in the communication holes.