Sliding member and process for formation of its coating layer

Abstract

An object of the present invention is that in a sliding member whose substrate is improved in sliding characteristics by a coating layer comprising a solid lubricant, the coating layer is obtained as one having a low coefficient of friction and an excellent wear resistance. In the present invention, the coating layer 7 has a structure formed by laminating solid lubricant plate crystal grains 3, and contains not more than 10 mass % of a resin for binder 8 for bonding the solid lubricant plate crystal grains 3, and the lubricant plate crystal grains have a crystal structure formed by piling (00l) planes (wherein l is an integer of not less than 1) in parallel, the index of orientation of the (00l) planes being not less than 90% at least on the sliding surface.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.