SnS₂ nanosheets as an excellent lubricant additive in polyalphaolefin oil

Abstract

This paper is devoted to investigate the friction‐reducing and wear protection of SnS2 nanosheets as lubricant additive in poly‐α‐olefin oil (PAO). SnS2 nanosheets, synthesised by a hydrothermal process, were characterised by Raman and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A ball‐on‐disk tribometer was used to compare the friction coefficient and wear when lubricated by PAO oil in absence and presence of SnS2 nanosheets. The worn surfaces were observed by SEM. The chemical compositions of tribofilm are analysed by XPS. The experiments showed that addition of SnS2 nanosheets are effective in reducing both friction and wear when lubricated by using base oil. XPS results shows that the enhanced tribological performance is due to a SnS2‐rich boundary film which is formed by deposit of SnS2 nanosheets on the contact area during the sliding process.