Recent development in friction of 2D materials: from mechanisms to applications

Two-dimensional (2D) materials with a layered structure are excellent candidates in the field of lubrication due to their unique physical and chemical properties, including weak interlayer interaction and large specific surface area. For the last few decades, graphene has received lots of attention due to its excellent properties. Besides graphene, various new 2D materials (including MoS2, WS2, WSe2, NbSe2, NbTe2, ReS2, TaS2 and h-BN etc.) are found to exhibit a low coefficient of friction at the macro- and even micro-scales, which may lead to widespread application in the field of lubrication and anti-wear. This article focuses on the latest development trend in 2D materials in the field of tribology. The review begins with a summary of widely accepted nano-scale friction mechanisms contain surface friction mechanism and interlayer friction mechanism. The following sections report the applications of 2D materials in lubrication and anti-wear as lubricant additives, solid lubricants, and composite lubricating materials. Finally, the research prospects of 2D materials in tribology are presented.

Automated summary

Two-dimensional materials with layered structures, such as graphene, have unique physical and chemical properties that make them excellent candidates for lubrication applications. Various new 2D materials have been found to exhibit low friction coefficients, showing potential for widespread use in lubrication and anti-wear applications. This article focuses on the latest development trends in using 2D materials for tribology, including their applications as lubricant additives, solid lubricants, and composite lubricating materials.