Tribological properties of graphene nanosheets as an additive in calcium grease

ABSTRACT

The addition of graphene nanosheets (GNSs) in lubricating grease could significantly reduce the interfacial friction and improve the load-bearing capacity of the parts. Therefore, it has been considered as having great potential as lubricant additives. In this study, we synthesized GNSs that are prepared by a modified Hummer method, and investigated the effect of GNS with different concentration (0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4 wt%) on the tribological properties of the calcium grease. The friction and wear experiments were performed using a four-ball tribometer. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to examine the GNS and the friction mechanisms. Results indicate that the friction reduction ability and anti-wear property of the base grease can be improved with the addition of GNS. It was also found that the friction reduction decreases by 61%, and the wear scar diameter (WSD) decreases by 45%, and the extreme-pressure (EP) properties increased 60% at 3 wt% GNS. It is clear that the GNS in grease easily forms protective deposited films to prevent the rubbing surfaces from coming into direct contact, thereby improving the entire tribological behavior of the grease.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Calcium grease
• four-ball tribometer
• friction coefficients
• graphene nanosheets
• wear