Bearing Materials

Generally it can be said as a good bearing material must posse following characteristics as:

• It must be strong enough to sustain bearing load.
• It must not heat rapidly.
• It must show a minute coefficient of friction.
• It must wear less, having long service life.
• It must work in foundary.

Generally it is expected that the journal and bearing would be made of disparate materials though there are examples where similar materials for journals and bearings have been employed. When the two parts are made in the similar material the friction and thus the wear are high.

Cast iron has been employed as bearing material along with steel shafts in several solutions. Yet, the various non-ferrous bearing alloys are here being employed largely as bearing material since they satisfy the conditions outlined above more satisfactory.

Copper-lead, babbitts and Bronzes alloys are the important bearing materials such are widely employed in service. Certain copper zinc alloys, such is brasses, have been employed as bearing materials, but merely to limited extent. As brass in general is chapter, this has replaced bronze in several light duty bearings.