A novel route to the synthesis of an Fe₃O₄/h-BN 2D nanocomposite as a lubricant additive

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) nanocomposites as lubricant additives have been widely studied, but the synthetic process of the nanocomposites is not always environmentally friendly or economical. In this study, a new 2D nanocomposite, Fe 3 O 4 /h-BN, has been prepared by physical mixing of exfoliated h-BN nanosheets and organically modified Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles. The nanocomposite displays a unique 2Dlayered structure without folds or wrinkles. The Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed on the h-BN nanosheet surfaces with the help of an elegant self-assembly strategy from van der Waals interactions. For the first time, Fe 3 O 4 /h-BN is studied as a lubricant additive and it exhibits excellent tribological properties. The coefficient of friction (COF) and the wear depth can be respectively reduced by 47% and 80% compared with the base oil. Based on the advantages of a simple and low-cost synthetic process and significant tribological properties, Fe 3 O 4 /h-BN offers great potential for lubrication application.

Ultrastable Lubricating Properties of Robust Self-Repairing Tribofilms Enabled by in Situ-Assembled Polydopamine Nanoparticles

“…Besides, the O 1s and Fe 2p spectra of the wear scar on the steel disc in pure water (Figure 7b,c) are compared with those of the PDA film (Figure 7e,f). The results show that the components of Fe−O−H (531.9 eV) 39,40 in the O 1s spectrum and FeOOH (712.9 eV) 11,41 in the Fe 2p spectrum are both reduced in the PDA tribofilm, indicating that a dehydration process occurs via covalent bonding (Fe−O−C).…”

“…Generally, adding nanolubricant additives is one of the most important strategies to effectively reduce friction and wear, especially under boundary lubrication . Nanoparticles , such as Cu, Fe 3 O 4 , and TiO 2 as well as nanosheets ,− such as graphene oxide (GO), MoS 2 , and h-BN have been proven to be effective aqueous lubricant additives. These can form an adsorption film at the friction interface for friction and wear reduction.…”

Covalent Functionalized Boron Nitride Nanosheets as Efficient Lubricant Oil Additives

“…However, severe grooving can be found on the worn surface lubricated by the h‐BN. This result indicates that the h‐BN is not easy to enter into the surface of the frictional pairs due to the agglomeration of h‐BN, thereby resulting in obvious abrasive wear . In the presence of h‐BNNSs, APTS‐BNNSs, and CPBA‐BNNSs (Figures c–e and c 1 –e 2 ), the surfaces of steel balls are improved undoubtedly.…”

“…Besides the intrinsic mechanical strength and low shear force of bulk h‐BN counterparts, h‐BN nanosheets with distinctive characteristics have great potential in lubricant applications . The friction of h‐BN with several layers was dependent on the thickness .…”

Mechanical and tribological properties of nanocomposites incorporated with two-dimensional materials

“…In Ref. [159], a 2D nanomaterial was also added in a base oil owing to its good self-lubricating property. Thus, 2D nanomaterials are promising fillers and can significantly enhance the tribological performance of polymer composites because of their good lubricating properties under harsh conditions [160].…”