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

To unify the lubrication characteristics of carbon spheres (CS) with high load-bearing capacity and molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) with exceptional low-shear friction performance, CS wrapped with MoS 2 (C@MoS 2 ) were accomplished via an efficient and facile hydrothermal method based on the self-assembly principle. Then, 0.5 wt% C@MoS 2 particles were dispersed into Poly Alpha Olefin 40 (PAO 40) for enhancing the anti-friction/wear abilities. Subsequently, 0.5 wt% of C@MoS 2 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@MoS 2 particles were attributed to the synergistic lubrication between bearing and filling effect of CS as well as the superior antifriction capacity of MoS 2 shell. Furthermore, the synergetic lubrication mechanism of C@MoS 2 may be segmented into different stages: I. the shell crushing stage, corresponding to the rolling bearing effect of C@MoS 2 particles at the friction interface; II. the core/shell separation stage, corresponding to the rolling bearing effect and self-repair effect of C@MoS 2 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.