Sliding bearing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9453532-B2
Application number	US-201214363453-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2012
Priority date	Dec 8, 2011
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

A sliding bearing having a composite layer comprising carbon nanostructures ( 6 ) incorporated within a metallic matrix ( 5 ), and a method of manufacture of such a sliding bearing by electroplating.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sliding bearing comprising:
an electroplated composite layer having carbon nanostructures incorporated within a metallic matrix;
wherein the carbon nanostructures are functionalised carbon nanostructures.

2. A sliding bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanostructures comprise at least one of carbon nanotubes, ball-shaped carbon nanostructures, and ellipsoidal carbon nanostructures.

3. A sliding bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the composite layer is an overlay layer.

4. A sliding bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the metallic matrix comprises a pure metal, apart from incidental impurities.

5. A sliding bearing according to claim 4 , wherein the pure metal is tin.

6. A sliding bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the metallic matrix comprises a metal alloy, apart from incidental impurities.

7. A sliding bearing according to claim 6 , wherein the metal alloy is at least one of a tin-based alloy, a copper-based alloy, a bismuth-based alloy, lead-based alloy, and an indium-based alloy.

8. A sliding bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the sliding bearing is at least one of a bearing shell and a thrust washer.

9. A sliding bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the functionalised carbon nanostructures have a structural unit including at least one of an acid side chain, an acyl side chain, an amine-amide side chain, a fluorinated side chain, and an oxidized side chain.

10. A method of manufacturing a sliding bearing, the sliding bearing having an electroplated composite layer comprising carbon nanostructures incorporated within a metallic matrix, wherein the carbon nanostructures are functionalised carbon nanostructures, the method comprising:
providing a sliding bearing substrate as a cathode in an electrolyte within which carbon nanostructures are suspended; and
depositing a composite layer of carbon nanostructures embedded in a metallic matrix by applying a cathodic bias to the substrate;
wherein the carbon nanostructures are functionalized carbon nanostructures.

11. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the cathodic bias produces a current density of 0.5 to 10 A/dm 2 at the cathode.

12. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the carbon nanostructures are suspended within the electrolyte in a density ranging from 0.1 g to 30 g carbon nanostructures per liter of electrolyte.

13. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the metallic matrix is a pure metal, apart from incidental impurities.

14. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the pure metal is tin.

15. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the metallic matrix is a metal alloy, apart from incidental impurities.

16. A method according to claim 15 , wherein the metal alloy is a tin-based alloy.

17. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the electrolyte is a tin methanesulfonic acid electrolyte.

18. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the electrolyte comprises 15 to 80 g/l tin.

19. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the electrolyte comprises brightener.

20. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the sliding bearing is at least one of a bearing shell and a thrust washer.

21. A sliding bearing, comprising:
a backing layer;
an electroplated composite layer including carbon nanostructures incorporated within a metallic matrix, wherein the carbon nanostructures are functionalised carbon nanostructures; and
a diffusion barrier layer disposed between the backing layer and the electroplated composite layer.

Assignees

• Mahle Int Gmbh
• Mahle Engine Systems Uk Ltd

Inventors

• Kachoosangi Roohollah

Classifications

• C25D7/10

  Bearings · CPC title

• F16C33/121 Primary

  Use of special materials · CPC title

• C25D3/60

  containing more than 50% by weight of tin · CPC title

• B82Y30/00

  Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites · CPC title

• C25D3/30

  of tin · CPC title