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Cryogenic friction behavior and thermolubricity effect of graphene film on copper substrate

Qingshun Bai (School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China)
Wanmin Guo (School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China)
Yuhao Dou (School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China)
Xin He (School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China)
Shun Liu (School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China)
Yongbo Guo (School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China)

Industrial Lubrication and Tribology

ISSN: 0036-8792

Article publication date: 12 January 2023

Issue publication date: 15 February 2023

105

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reveal the mechanism of graphene low-temperature friction and provide a theoretical basis for the application of graphene.

Design/methodology/approach

A probe etching model of graphene on the copper substrate was established to obtain the friction pattern of graphene with different layers in the temperature interval from 100 to 300 K. The friction mechanism was also explained from a microscopic perspective based on thermal lubrication theory. Low-temperature friction experiments of graphene were carried out by atomic force microscopy to further verify the graphene low-temperature friction law.

Findings

Graphene nanofriction experiments were conducted at 230–300 K. Based on this, more detailed simulation studies were performed. It is found that the combined effect of thermolubricity and thermal fluctuations affects the variation of friction. For monolayer graphene, thermolubricity is the main influence, and friction decreases with increasing temperature. For multilayer graphene, thermal fluctuations gradually become the main influencing factor as the temperature rises, and the overall friction becomes larger with increasing temperature.

Originality/value

Graphene with excellent mechanical properties provides a new way to reduce the frictional wear of metallic materials in low-temperature environments. The friction laws and mechanisms of graphene in low-temperature environments are of great significance for the expansion of graphene application environments.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This research work was jointly supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51775146, 52075129) and NSAF (Grant No. U2030109).

Citation

Bai, Q., Guo, W., Dou, Y., He, X., Liu, S. and Guo, Y. (2023), "Cryogenic friction behavior and thermolubricity effect of graphene film on copper substrate", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 75 No. 2, pp. 230-237. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILT-09-2021-0370

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited

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