Tribological behaviour of ultra-thin stainless steel in micro deep drawing with graphene nanosheets

In this study, the micro deep drawing (MDD) experiments of an austenitic stainless steel with 40 mu m in thickness were conducted using the lubricants containing different mass fractions of graphene nanosheets (GNS) in ethanol. Prior to the MDD tests, the lubricants with GNS concentrations of 5, 10, and 15 mg/ml were synthesised by mixing different amounts of GNS with pure ethanol, and then sprayed uniformly on the blank surface. The friction-reduction mechanisms of the GNS in the MDD were discussed by analysing the profile and surface roughness of the microcups. The results indicated that the GNS could reduce the friction and improve the surface quality of the micro products during the MDD process. In particular, the lubricant with 10 mg/ml GNS enabled the lowest drawing force, wrinkling, and surface roughness of the drawn microcup. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the friction-reduction mechanisms of using GNS in the MDD of materials.

Automated summary

In this study, micro deep drawing experiments were conducted on an austenitic stainless steel using lubricants containing different mass fractions of graphene nanosheets (GNS) in ethanol. The friction-reduction mechanisms of the GNS in the micro deep drawing process were discussed by analyzing the profile and surface roughness of the microcups. The results showed that GNS could reduce friction and improve surface quality, with the lubricant containing 10 mg/ml GNS achieving the best results in terms of drawing force, wrinkling, and surface roughness.