Improved Friction Reduction and Wear Resistance of Steel Using a Subnanometer Nanowires-Poly-α-Olefin Gel Lubricant

Lubricating oil is commonly utilized due to its excellent lubricating properties in mechanical motion systems. However, high fluidity in lubricating oil often leads to leakage during machine operation, causing mechanical components to fail. Herein, a gel lubricant of SNWs-PAO6 was devised by combining subnanometer nanowires (SNWs) with poly α-olefin 6 (PAO6) at room temperature, effectively confining PAO6 and preventing PAO6’s creeping and leakage while enhancing its load-bearing capacity. SNWs-PAO6 outperforms PAO6 in reducing friction and wear for steel-on-steel interfaces. The friction coefficient is markedly diminished by 57.53%, from 0.223 to 0.095, while the wear rate is significantly curtailed by 84.98%. Furthermore, SNWs-PAO6 remains stable even after 180 000 cycles at 200 N and 25 Hz, withstanding high-speed centrifugation without releasing PAO6. It remained stable over 6 months of resting and can well withstand low temperatures. Surface analysis of the wear scar and the formed tribochemical film after friction has demonstrated that PW12O403– is more likely to adsorb onto the steel surface, forming a lubricating medium film through tribochemical reactions and thus reducing interfacial friction and wear. This method facilitates the development of domain-limited nanomaterials-based gels for mass production and their applications in engineering moving parts.