Few layer graphene to reduce wear and friction on sliding steel surfaces

• Published in: Carbon (New York) Vol. 54; pp. 454 - 459
• Main Authors: Berman, Diana, Erdemir, Ali, Sumant, Anirudha V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Carbon; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Ethyl alcohol; Exact sciences and technology; Friction; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Graphene; Materials science; Mechanical contact (friction...); Nanocomposites; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanostructure; Other materials; Other topics in nanoscale materials and structures; Physics; Relative humidity; Sliding; Solid mechanics; Specific materials; Steels; Structural and continuum mechanics; Wear; Multilayers; Humidity effect; Friction; Graphene; Two dimensional structure; Wear; Steels; Nanostructured materials; Tribology
• ISSN: 0008-6223; 1873-3891
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2012.11.061

We report that solution-processed graphene layers reduce friction and wear on sliding steel surfaces in air (relative humidity, 30%). In tests with sliding steel surfaces, small amounts of graphene-containing ethanol solution decreased wear by almost 4 orders of magnitude and friction coefficients by a factor of 6. A possible explanation for these results is that the graphene layers act as a two-dimensional nanomaterial and form a conformal protective coating on the sliding contact interfaces, and these factors facilitate shear and slow down the tribo-corrosion, thus drastically reducing the wear.