Lubricated journal bearings operating at moderate temperatures under conditions of slow intermittent or oscillating motion are important components in many items of machinery. In this application, choosing a suitable lubricant is critical to prolonging the lifetime of the component. The choice of lubricant is often dependent on the material pairing between the bearing and shaft. In parallel with growing concern about the environment, the development of environmentally adapted lubricants (EALs), such as synthetic esters, is gradually gaining pace. Studies have shown the ability of synthetic esters to reduce friction and wear under boundary lubricated conditions, especially with low alloyed bronzes on hardened steel. This study deals with the investigation of three different shaft materials, i.e. hardened, DLC-coated or normal steel, for use with a tin-bronze journal bearing lubricated with a synthetic ester. Experiments using the journal bearing show encouraging friction and wear results with the synthetic ester lubricant in comparison to tests with a mineral oil under the same operating conditions. (16 refs.)