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 an average epitaxial index of the soft particles at the boundary portion of the sliding member is equal to or greater than 70% and less than or equal to 100%. 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 an average epitaxial index of the sliding member is equal to or greater than 70% and less than or equal to 100%,   wherein the average epitaxial index of the sliding member is an average 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 the soft layer comprise an epitaxial growth portion that comprises epitaxially grown soft particles. 
     
     
         3 . The sliding member according to  claim 2 , wherein the matrix is made of Cu alloy, and the soft material is Bi. 
     
     
         4 . 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 an average epitaxial index of the sliding member is equal to or greater than 70% and less than or equal to 100%,   wherein the average epitaxial index of the sliding member is an average 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. 
   
     
     
         5 . The sliding bearing according to  claim 4 , wherein the soft layer comprise an epitaxial growth portion that comprises epitaxially grown soft particles. 
     
     
         6 . The sliding bearing according to  claim 5 , wherein the matrix is made of Cu alloy, and the soft material is Bi. 
     
     
         7 . The sliding member according to  claim 1 , wherein the average epitaxial index is 70%. 
     
     
         8 . The sliding bearing according to  claim 4 , wherein the average epitaxial index is 70%.