Fabrication of Ti3C2 MXene and tetradecylphosphonic acid@MXene and their excellent friction-reduction and anti-wear performance as lubricant additives

MXene is a kind of two-dimensional material with a graphene-like structure. However, the low productivity and oil solubility of MXene limit its use as a lubricant additive. Herein, a simplified strategy for exfoliating multilayer-MXene via water-molecules-assisted intercalation approach is proposed. MXene and tetradecylphosphonic acid (TDPA)@MXene sheets were prepared as lubricant oil additives by chemical etching and surface modification with TDPA. The as-prepared additives added to PAO8 ensured friction-reduction and wear resistance at contact pressures less than 1.4 GPa, which was attributed to the iron-oxide and FePO4 tribochemical reaction film and lower interlaminar shear between the MXene layers. This study presents methods for improving the productivity and functional applications of MXene, enriching the existing research on MXene as a lubricant additive.