Synergistic lubrication mechanism of core/shell C@MoS2 particles as lubricant additives

Abstract

To unify the lubrication characteristics of carbon spheres (CS) with high load-bearing capacity and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) with exceptional low-shear friction performance, CS wrapped with MoS2 (C@MoS2) were accomplished via an efficient and facile hydrothermal method based on the self-assembly principle. Then, 0.5 wt% C@MoS2 particles were dispersed into Poly Alpha Olefin 40 (PAO 40) for enhancing the anti-friction/wear abilities. Subsequently, 0.5 wt% of C@MoS2 particles were dispersed into Poly Alpha Olefin 40 (PAO 40) to enhance its anti-friction and wear-resistant capabilities. The excellent tribological properties of C@MoS2 particles were attributed to the synergistic lubrication between bearing and filling effect of CS as well as the superior antifriction capacity of MoS2 shell. Furthermore, the synergetic lubrication mechanism of C@MoS2 may be segmented into different stages: I. the shell crushing stage, corresponding to the rolling bearing effect of C@MoS2 particles at the friction interface; II. the core/shell separation stage, corresponding to the rolling bearing effect and self-repair effect of C@MoS2 particles; III. the core/shell recombination stage, corresponding to the construction and reinforcement of protective film and the great improvement of anti-friction/wear abilities performance.