Sliding member and sliding bearing

Abstract

A sliding member includes a base layer that includes soft particles made of a soft material deposited in a matrix and a soft layer made of a soft material. The soft material is softer than the matrix, the soft layer is formed on a surface of the base layer, and a maximum epitaxial index of the soft particles as the boundary portion of the sliding member is equal to or less than 10% and greater than 0%. The epitaxial index of a soft particle at the boundary portion is a ratio of: a portion of a length between a first endpoint and a second endpoint of a soft particle where an edge of the boundary portion is not visible within an area less than 1 μm from the length between the first endpoint and the second endpoint, to the length between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.

1 . A sliding member, comprising:
 a base layer comprising soft particles made of a soft material deposited in a matrix; and   a soft layer made of a soft material,   wherein the soft material is softer than the matrix,   wherein the soft layer is formed on a surface of the base layer,   wherein a maximum epitaxial index of the sliding member is equal to or less than 10% and greater than 0%,   wherein the maximum epitaxial index of the sliding member is a maximum value of all of an epitaxial index of the soft particles at the boundary portion, and   wherein the epitaxial index of the soft particles at the boundary portion is a ratio of:
 a portion of a length between a first endpoint of a soft particle and a second endpoint of the soft particle where an edge of the boundary portion is not visible within an area not farther than 1 μm from the length between the first endpoint and the second endpoint, to 
   the length between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.   
     
     
         2 . The sliding member according to  claim 1 , wherein a boundary portion is formed between crystal grains of the soft particles and crystal grains of the soft layer. 
     
     
         3 . The sliding member according to  claim 2 , wherein a structure of the crystal grains of the soft particles is different from a structure of the crystal grains of the soft layer. 
     
     
         4 . The sliding member according to  claim 3 , wherein an anodic oxidation film of the soft material is formed on the boundary portion. 
     
     
         5 . The sliding member according to  claim 4 , wherein the matrix is made of Cu alloy, and the soft material is Bi. 
     
     
         6 . A sliding bearing, comprising:
 a base layer comprising soft particles made of a soft material deposited in a matrix; and   a soft layer made of a soft material,   wherein the soft material is softer than the matrix,   wherein the soft layer is formed on a surface of the base layer,   wherein a maximum epitaxial index of the sliding member is equal to or less than 10% and greater than 0%,   wherein the maximum epitaxial index of the sliding member is a maximum value of all of an epitaxial index of the soft particles at the boundary portion, and   wherein the epitaxial index of the soft particles at the boundary portion is a ratio of:
 a portion of a length between a first endpoint of a soft particle and a second endpoint of the soft particle where an edge of the boundary portion is not visible within an area not farther than 1 μm from the length between the first endpoint and the second endpoint, to 
   the length between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.   
     
     
         7 . The sliding bearing according to  claim 6 , wherein a boundary portion is formed between crystal grains of the soft particles and crystal grains of the soft layer. 
     
     
         8 . The sliding bearing according to  claim 7 , wherein a structure of the crystal grains of the soft particles is different from a structure of the crystal grains of the soft layer. 
     
     
         9 . The sliding bearing according to  claim 8 , wherein an anodic oxidation film of the soft material is formed on the boundary portion. 
     
     
         10 . The sliding bearing according to  claim 9 , wherein the matrix is made of Cu alloy, and the soft material is Bi. 
     
     
         11 . The sliding member according to  claim 1 , wherein the maximum epitaxial index is 10%. 
     
     
         12 . The sliding bearing according to  claim 6 , wherein the maximum epitaxial index is 10%.