Dispersion stability and tribological behavior of nanocomposite supramolecular gel lubricants and molecular dynamic simulation

The poor dispersion stability of nanoparticles in oils limited their application. To address this problem, diverse of nanoparticles were introduced to supramolecular gels to fabricate a new lubricant (Nano-Gel). The results of molecular dynamics simulation show that gelators adsorbed onto the surface of nanoparticles at the non-covalent interaction. Besides, the intricate networks of supramolecular gels show spatial confinement to nanoparticles, which improved the dispersion stability of nanoparticles. Compared with supramolecular gels lubricant, Nano-Gel shows good anti-friction and anti-wear properties. The excellent tribological properties would be contributed to the self-repairing and tribo-film formed by nanoparticles and gelators. The Nano-Gels provide effective solution to the application of nanoparticles in lubricating oil, which have great values to prolong the life of mechanisms.