Ag-free or low-Ag binder alloys are provided that can be used as binders for abrasive materials such as core drill bits. The alloys comprise, or consist of, Cu, Sn and Ni, with Cu preferably the plurality or majority component. Methods of manufacturing abrasive materials comprising the binder alloys, such as infiltration processes, are also disclosed.

Ag-free or low-Ag binder alloys are provided that can be used as binders for abrasive materials such as core drill bits. The alloys comprise, or consist of, Cu, Sn and Ni, with Cu preferably the plurality or majority component. Methods of manufacturing abrasive materials comprising the binder alloys, such as infiltration processes, are also disclosed.

A thermoelectric material of the present invention includes copper, tin, and sulfur, wherein a ratio A/B of the number A of copper atoms to the number B of tin atoms is 0.5 to 2.5 and a content of a metal element other than copper and tin is 5 mol % or less with respect to total metal elements. Additionally, the thermoelectric material of the present invention has a thermal conductivity less than 1.0 W/(m.Math.K) at 200 to 400° C.

A thermoelectric material of the present invention includes copper, tin, and sulfur, wherein a ratio A/B of the number A of copper atoms to the number B of tin atoms is 0.5 to 2.5 and a content of a metal element other than copper and tin is 5 mol % or less with respect to total metal elements. Additionally, the thermoelectric material of the present invention has a thermal conductivity less than 1.0 W/(m.Math.K) at 200 to 400° C.

An object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of realizing good wear resistance with a simple structure. A sliding member and a sliding bearing each include a base layer and a coating layer formed on the base layer, the coating layer having a sliding surface with a counterpart member. The base layer is formed of a hard material that is harder than the coating layer, and the average concentration of a diffusion component of the hard material diffused from the base layer is 4 wt % or more in an evaluation range, in the coating layer, in which the distance from an interface with the base layer is 1 μm or more and 2 μm or less.

A sliding member (10) includes a base material (12), a porous sintered layer (14) provided on the base material (12), and a resin layer (16) impregnated into the porous sintered layer (14) and provided on the porous sintered layer (14). In the porous sintered layer (14), a porosity decreases from a second surface (S2) opposite to a first surface (S1) closer to the base material, toward the first surface (S1), the first surface and the second surface each being one of end surfaces in the thickness direction, and a decrease rate of the porosity in the thickness direction (Z) in a first region (E1) occupying 50% or more of the thickness of the porous sintered layer (14) from the second surface (S2) toward the first surface (S1) is larger than a decrease rate of the porosity in the thickness direction (Z) in a second region (E2) other than the first region (E1) in the porous sintered layer (14).

A sliding member (10) includes a base material (12), a porous sintered layer (14) provided on the base material (12), and a resin layer (16) impregnated into the porous sintered layer (14) and provided on the porous sintered layer (14). In the porous sintered layer (14), a porosity decreases from a second surface (S2) opposite to a first surface (S1) closer to the base material, toward the first surface (S1), the first surface and the second surface each being one of end surfaces in the thickness direction, and a decrease rate of the porosity in the thickness direction (Z) in a first region (E1) occupying 50% or more of the thickness of the porous sintered layer (14) from the second surface (S2) toward the first surface (S1) is larger than a decrease rate of the porosity in the thickness direction (Z) in a second region (E2) other than the first region (E1) in the porous sintered layer (14).

A wear resistant hydraulics system includes a first copper-based alloy having a formula (I), Cu.sub.aSn.sub.bZn.sub.cM.sub.d, where M is a combination of up to six transition metals, metalloids, and/or alkali metals, a is any number between 0.50 and 0.93, b is any number between 0.00 and 0.07, c is any number between 0.00 and 0.40, and d is any number between 0.01 and 0.40, and a second copper-based alloy including at least 50 wt. % of Cu, based on the total weight of the alloy; and at least one compound of formula (II) A.sub.xB.sub.y, where A is Cu, Sn, or Zn, B is Co, Cr, In, Mn, Mo, Ni, Rb, Sb, Te, or Ti, x is any number between 1 and 53, and y is any number between 1 and 16, the first or second alloy having a bulk modulus K.sub.VRH value of about 70 to 304 GPa.

A wear resistant hydraulics system includes a first copper-based alloy having a formula (I), Cu.sub.aSn.sub.bZn.sub.cM.sub.d, where M is a combination of up to six transition metals, metalloids, and/or alkali metals, a is any number between 0.50 and 0.93, b is any number between 0.00 and 0.07, c is any number between 0.00 and 0.40, and d is any number between 0.01 and 0.40, and a second copper-based alloy including at least 50 wt. % of Cu, based on the total weight of the alloy; and at least one compound of formula (II) A.sub.xB.sub.y, where A is Cu, Sn, or Zn, B is Co, Cr, In, Mn, Mo, Ni, Rb, Sb, Te, or Ti, x is any number between 1 and 53, and y is any number between 1 and 16, the first or second alloy having a bulk modulus K.sub.VRH value of about 70 to 304 GPa.

A spinodal copper-nickel-tin alloy with a combination of improved impact strength, yield strength, and ductility is disclosed. The alloy is formed by process treatment steps including solution annealing, cold working and spinodal hardening. These include such processes as a first heat treatment/homogenization step followed by hot working, solution annealing, cold working, and a second heat treatment/spinodally hardening step. The spinodal alloys so produced are useful for applications demanding enhanced strength and ductility such as for pipes and tubes used in the oil and gas industry.