Abstract
In this study, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nano platelets were used as an additive to enhance friction and wear properties of oil-based lubricants by preparing three samples at 0.01% w/w, 0.05% w/w, and 0.1% w/w concentrations. To analyze the direct effect of rGO nano platelets on tribological properties, 99.9% pure oil was used as a liquid lubricant. A comparative tribological study was done by performing a ball-on-disk wear test in situ under harsh conditions, which was further analyzed using a non-contact 3D optical profilometer. Morphological evaluation of the scar was done using transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM, SEM) at micro and nano levels. The lubricants’ physical properties, such as viscosity and oxidation number, were evaluated and compared for all samples including pure oil (control sample) as per ASTM standards. Findings of all these tests show that adding rGO nano platelets at 0.05% w/w showed significant reduction in friction at high speed and in wear up to 51.85%, which is very promising for increasing the life span of moving surfaces in machinery. Oxidation and viscosity tests also proved that adding rGO nano platelets to all samples does not sacrifice the physical properties of the lubricant, while it improves friction and wear properties.
Highlights
The sustainability of rotating and moving parts in machines plays an important role in production costs
We investigated the tribological effects of highly reduced graphene oxide (H-rGO) nano platelets as additives to mineral base oil
The results shown in this study can lead to new applications for rGO in tribology and lubrication science and engineering [25]
Summary
The sustainability of rotating and moving parts in machines plays an important role in production costs. Tribological and physical properties of lubricants modified by nanoadditives vary according to the size, shape, number of layers (for 2D nanoadditives), surface area, mechanical properties and chemical composition of such additives Among all these materials, carbon-based nanoadditives have attracted much attention in applications such as energy storage, manufacturing and biomedical device fabrication. Due to their widespread use in different fields, a great deal of research has been conducted to improve the manufacturing capabilities of carbon-based nanomaterials on wide-ranging characteristics that can be tuned for different applications These characteristics are directly related to factors such as defects in crystalline structures, morphology and surface area, electrical and thermal conductivity, optical behavior, molecular specification, number of layers, and uniformity of the carbon-based nanomaterials [6]. The results shown in this study can lead to new applications for rGO in tribology and lubrication science and engineering [25]
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