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Modification of Graphene Platelets and their Tribological Properties as a Lubricant Additive

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Abstract

Graphene platelets were chemically modified in a reflux reaction with stearic and oleic acids. Examination of the surface features of the graphene platelets before and after modification by infrared spectroscopy and ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometer revealed that the modification led to an improvement in the dispersion of graphene platelets in base oil. The tribological behavior of the lubricating oil containing modified graphene platelets (MGP) was further investigated using a four-ball machine. The results indicated that the oil containing only 0.075 wt% of MGP clearly improved the wear resistance and load-carrying capacity of the machine. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometer performed to analyze the wear scar surfaces after friction confirmed that the outstanding lubrication performance of MGP could be attributed to their small size and extremely thin laminated structure, which allow the MGP to easily enter the contact area, thereby preventing the rough surfaces from coming into direct contact.

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Acknowledgments

This work is supported by National Science Foundation of China (No. 20574025), Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province (E0820001), and Fujian Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials (Fujian Normal University).

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  1. Institute of Polymer and Nanomaterials, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou, 362021, China

    **shan Lin, Liwei Wang & Guohua Chen

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  1. **shan Lin
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  2. Liwei Wang
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Correspondence to Guohua Chen.

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Lin, J., Wang, L. & Chen, G. Modification of Graphene Platelets and their Tribological Properties as a Lubricant Additive. Tribol Lett 41, 209–215 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-010-9702-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-010-9702-5

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