In　order　to　evaluate　the　operation　performance　of　the　multi-leaf　foil　bearings　and　their　application　potential　in　high-speed　turbo-machinery,　an　experimental　research　of　multi-leaf　foil　bearings　was　conducted.　At　first,　static　and　transient　tests　of　the　multi-leaf　journal　bearings　with　different　foil　thickness　were　performed　on　the　journal　bearing　test　rig,　and　the　load-deflection,　start-up　and　operating　friction　torque　characteristics,　as　well　as　the　bearing　Coulomb　friction　and　friction　torque,　under　different　foil　thickness　and　bearing　loads　were　obtained.　Afterwards,　both　multi-leaf　foil　journal　and　thrust　bearing　were　applied　in　the　high-speed　turbo-machinery　with　a　rotor　diameter　of　25　mm.　The　transient　speed-up,　high　speed,　and　speed-down　experiments　of　the　rotor-bearing　system　were　conducted　on　the　high-speed　turbo-machinery　test　rig.　The　transient　characteristics　and　stability　of　the　rotor　with　the　support　of　the　aerodynamic　multi-leaf　foil　bearings　were　analyzed.　The　experimental　results　indicate　that:　the　start-up　torque　(0.6×10-2-　1.8×10-2　N•m)　and　steady　operation　frictional　torque　(0.25×10-2-　0.5×10-2　N•m)　of　the　multi-leaf　foil　journal　bearing　is　relative　small;　the　maximum　rotor　speed　of　the　turbo-machinery　reaches　93.9×103　r/min　under　the　support　of　the　aerodynamic　multi-leaf　foil　bearings;　small　main　frequency　vibration　amplitudes　(　©　2020,　Editorial　Office　of　Journal　of　Xi＇an　Jiaotong　University.　All　right　reserved.