Issue 6, 2018

High lubricity and electrical responsiveness of solvent-free ionic SiO2 nanofluids

Abstract

Solvent-free ionic nanofluids with a core–shell structure were successively synthesized via functionalizing silica nanoparticles with a charged corona and ionically tethering with oligomeric chains as a canopy. It was demonstrated that the as-synthesized nanofluids were endowed with outstanding dispersion stability and fluidity. Importantly, when used as a lubricant and additive, the nanofluids showed excellent friction-reducing and antiwear properties. That is, blending even a small fraction of nanofluids into polyethylene glycol base oil dramatically reduced the friction and wear of a steel–steel contact. Depending on the specific shell structures, the lubricity of the nanofluids exhibited a responsive characteristic to electrical potential. The friction coefficients can be adjusted by loading or unloading the external power and changing the direction of the electrical potential. Formation of a unique double electric layer consisting of both organic and inorganic materials during the friction was proposed, which can be essential for yielding robust lubrication of the adsorption film. Moreover, a nanostructured tribofilm comprising a significant fraction of silica and tribo-chemical products of the organic layers was identified, and it was believed to be significant in improving the boundary lubrication performance.

Graphical abstract: High lubricity and electrical responsiveness of solvent-free ionic SiO2 nanofluids

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
02 Nov 2017
Accepted
09 Jan 2018
First published
09 Jan 2018

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2018,6, 2817-2827

High lubricity and electrical responsiveness of solvent-free ionic SiO2 nanofluids

Y. Guo, L. Zhang, G. Zhang, D. Wang, T. Wang and Q. Wang, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2018, 6, 2817 DOI: 10.1039/C7TA09649F

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