The invention relates to a zinc-free spray powder for thermally coating a substrate, in particular for thermally coating a bearing part of a bearing apparatus, which spray powder has the following composition except for unavoidable contaminants: tin=5% to 30% weight percent; aluminum=0.1% to 5% weight percent; iron=at most 1% weight percent, and copper=difference to 100% weight percent. The invention furthermore relates to a layer system applied via thermal spraying, a work piece, particularly a connecting rod, as well as a spray method for manufacturing a spray layer.