Fabrication of multilayer graphene sheets modified diatom biosilica microcapsules for enhanced frictional and mechanical properties

Graphene has demonstrated significant potential in the fields of lubrication and wear resistance, owing to its unique structure and exceptional properties. However, the tendency of graphene sheets to agglomerate limits its broader application. Herein, we report a novel multilayer graphene sheet modified diatomite (DE) microcapsule (Graphene@DE). After further surface modification (Graphene@DE-F), the microcapsules can significantly improve tribological and mechanical properties. Tribological tests showed that uniformly dispersed Graphene@DE-F microcapsules have significant anti-friction and anti-wear performance. Specifically, the coefficient of friction (COF) decreased by 86.4 %, wear rate decreased by 64.7 %, mass loss decreased by 42.2 % and thickness loss decreased by 30.7 %. Furthermore, the tensile properties and basic mechanical properties were also improved. The elastic modulus increased by 5.3 %, tensile strength increased by 7.3 %, Young's modulus increased by 13.6 %, and hardness increased by 41.7 %.