A plain bearing and method for making the same are shown and described. The plain bearing includes a layer of a strong backing material to which a first bearing alloy is bonded. A second layer of bearing material overlays the first bearing layer and comprises essentially pure tin without any other metallic alloying constituents and an organic levelling agent in the matrix thereof.
1. A plain bearing having an overlay alloy layer at a sliding surface of the plain bearing, the plain bearing comprising a layer of a strong backing material, a layer of a first bearing alloy bonded to the strong backing material and a layer of a second bearing material comprising said overlay material bonded to said first bearing alloy layer, characterised in that said second bearing material comprises essentially pure tin without any other metallic alloying constituents, other than unavoidable impurities, having included in the matrix thereof an organic levelling agent.
2. A plain bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the organic levelling agent comprises at least one of nonylphenolpolyglycolether and pyrocatechol.
3. A plain bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the hardness of the overlay is in the range of about 20 to 30 Hv.
4. A plain bearing having an overlay alloy layer at a sliding surface of the plain bearing, the plain bearing comprising a layer of a strong backing material, a layer of a first bearing alloy bonded to the strong backing material, an interlayer bonded to the first bearing material, and the overlay alloy layer bonded to the interlayer, wherein the overlay alloy layer comprises essentially pure tin without any other metallic alloying constituents, other than unavoidable impurities, and an organic levelling agent in the matrix thereof and the interlayer acts as a diffusion barrier layer between the first bearing alloy layer and the overlay alloy layer.
5. The plain bearing of claim 4 , wherein the organic levelling agent comprises at least one of nonylphenylpolyglycolether and pyrocatechol.
6. The plain bearing of claim 4 , wherein the interlayer comprises at least one of nickel, cobalt, copper, silver, iron, and alloys thereof.
7. The plain bearing of claim 4 , wherein the hardness of the overlay alloy layer is in the range of about 20 to 30 Hv.