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Title: Operando tribochemical formation of onion-like-carbon leads to macroscale superlubricity

Journal Article · · Nature Communications

High contact pressure and shear during relative movement of the sliding interfaces are known to cause structural or chemical modification or complete phase transformation due to the stress induced chemical reaction. Such reactions can manifest either formation of tribofilm or induce enhanced wear at the tribological interface. The nature of these stress-induced reactions at the atomistic level and formation of byproducts at the tribological interface, however, remain poorly understood and pose uncertainties in predicting the tribological performance of the tribosystem. In this paper we demonstrate that, when pristine molybdenum disulfide layers in their two dimensional form are coupled with nanodiamonds, the catalytic interaction of sulfur with the nanodiamond through a stress-induced tribocatalytic reaction under high pressure and shear conditions induces amorphization of nanodiamond and eventually formation of onion like carbon structures (OLCs). This leads to near-zero friction, superlubricity, when sliding against diamond like carbon (DLC) ball in dry nitrogen environment at room temperature. Furthermore, the large size (20-30 nm in diameter) and stiffness of the resulting OLCS allow sustaining high contact pressures, while graphitic lattice provides an incommensurate contact with the DLC surface, thus allowing for successful demonstration of the superlubricity conditions.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Vehicle Technologies Office (EE-3V)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357; AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1460812
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1490201
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Vol. 9, Issue 1; ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 173 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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  • Erdemir, A.; Eryilmaz, O. L.; Fenske, G.
  • Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films, Vol. 18, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1116/1.582459
journal July 2000
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Cited By (13)

Iron‐Nanoparticle Driven Tribochemistry Leading to Superlubric Sliding Interfaces journal September 2019
Neutron visualization of inhomogeneous buried interfaces in thin films journal January 2019
Beyond traditional coatings, a review on thermal sprayed functional and smart coatings text January 2018
Black Phosphorus–Graphene Oxide Hybrid Nanomaterials toward Advanced Lubricating Properties under Water journal September 2019
Emerging superlubricity: A review of the state of the art and perspectives on future research journal December 2018
Triboemission of hydrocarbon molecules from diamond-like carbon friction interface induces atomic-scale wear journal November 2019
Visible-light photocatalysis by carbon-nano-onion-functionalized ZnO tetrapods: degradation of 2,4-dinitrophenol and a plant-model-based ecological assessment journal February 2019
Unusual Competitive and Synergistic Effects of Graphite Nanoplates in Engine Oil on the Tribofilm Formation journal August 2019
Superlubricity in rolling/sliding contacts journal September 2019
Beyond Traditional Coatings: A Review on Thermal-Sprayed Functional and Smart Coatings journal April 2019
Material‐Dependent Antagonistic Effects between Soot and ZDDP journal February 2020
Nanomaterials in Superlubricity journal April 2019
Neutron visualization of inhomogeneous buried interfaces in thin films journal January 2019

Figures / Tables (4)