Silane coupling agent enable two-dimensional layered binary composite to synergistic enhance the tribological performance in grease additive

The traditional two-dimensional nanomaterials have been widely studied as grease additives in dealing with the friction and wear existed in mechanical manufacture. However, the single material cannot meet the requirement for both excellent friction-reducing and anti-wear ability, so the limited lubricity remains a major challenge for its application at scale. Herein, a two-dimensional layered binary composite (GO/Talc) with an optimal ratio of 1:2 was prepared by combining graphene oxide (GO) with the silicate Talc through silane coupling agent KH-550, which possesses superior dispersion ability and tribological property in lithium grease (LG). The experimental results and theoretical calculation revealed that the Talc could be well remained through the connection with GO by KH-550, thus can be effectively in situ form an enhanced self-healing layer on friction interface to address the direct collision issue of friction pairs. Additionally, as compared with the LG sample, the average coefficient of friction and wear scar diameter of 0.1 wt.% GO/Talc samples were decreased by 50% and 24.6%, respectively. This work sheds a new light on the design of grease additives for reducing the friction and wear in mechanical production.