Sandwich-like tribofilm induced highly effective lubrication for MoDTP coupled with hydroxy-magnesium silicate (MSH)

In the field of lubrication enhancement, nanomaterials are becoming increasingly important. However, the issue of their stable dispersion in lubrication oil remains a persistent challenge. To address this issue, we synthesized two distinct morphologies of MSH nanomaterials, subsequently modifying them with alkylsilane (OTMS) to enhance their dispersion stability. Particularly, the 1.0 wt% of OTMS-modified laminar MSH (LMSH@OTMS) combined with 0.3 wt% molybdenum dialkyldithiophosphate (MoDTP) exhibited remarkable lubricating performance in PAO10. The result indicate there is a synergistic effect between two components, resulting in the formation of a main sandwich-like tribofilm. The tribofilm is comprised of two distinct layers: a lubricating layer derived from MoDTP and an anti-wear layer stemming from LMSH@OTMS. These findings offer significant potential for enhancing durability of mechanical systems.