Microstructure, hardness, and tribology properties of the (Cu/MoS2)/graphene nanocomposite via the electroless deposition and powder metallurgy technique

To increase the strength and to reduce the wear rate of the copper composite that used as a solid self-lubricant materials, Cu/10MoS(2)/ (0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1 wt.% graphene nanosheets) hybrid matrix nanocomposites were fabricated using the electroless copper precipitation process followed by the cold pressing and sintering in a hydrogen atmosphere furnace with a double-heating rate cycle. The microstructure of the as-received powders, as well as the produced samples, was examined using the scanning electron microscope. The chemical composition of the fabricated composites was evaluated by the energy dispersive spectrometry analysis. The effect of the graphene nanosheets (wt.%) addition on the densification, the hardness, the adhesive wear rate, the wear mechanism, and the coefficient of friction was investigated. The low heating rate of 5celcius/min was the best for the fabrication process. The microstructure of the composites reveals the good distribution of the (graphene nanosheets and MoS2) in the copper matrix and good adhesion between graphene nanosheets and the (Cu-10MoS(2)) matrix as well. The 0.4 wt.% graphene nanosheets composite exhibits the highest hardness, the lowest wear rate, and the lowest coefficient of friction. The adhesive regions were dissipated by increasing the graphene nanosheets up to 0.6 wt.% then increased.