Sliding bearing and method of making a sliding bearing material

A method of making a multilayered sliding bearing material which is self-lubricating and maintenance-free, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. applying a layer of bronze powder onto a metallic supporting body, the bronze powder having different particle sizes, having a mean grain size of about 40 .mu.m, and having a particle shape which is dendritic;
• b. pre-sintering the layer of bronze powder onto the metallic supporting body in a furnace at a temperature of about 800.degree. C. to provide a pre-sintered layer of bronze having pores and to provide a pre-sintered assembly;
• c. hot rolling the pre-sintered assembly at a temperature of about 800.degree. C. to provide the bronze layer with a porosity ranging from 40 to 70% throughout the entire thickness of the bronze layer;
• d. sintering the bronze layer by heating continuously at a temperature of about 800.degree. C. and by maintaining the temperature for a period of time which is short;
• e. placing the sintered assembly in a container under a vacuum;
• f. supplying a suspension comprised of PTFE particles to the container for an infiltration period effective to secure infiltration of the PTFE particles into the pores of the sintered layer of bronze and provide an assembly including a PTFE-impregnated bronze layer having a PTFE content of up to 20 weight %;
• g. removing the assembly from the container;
• h. drying the assembly at a temperature effective therefore;
• and
• i. densifying the PTFE-impregnated bronze layer by means of cold-rolling so that the PTFE-impregnated bronze layer has a sliding surface comprised of PTFE but no PTFE cover layer.