Preparation of a mica-organic hybrid solid lubricant and characterization of its lubrication mechanisms

A mica organic hybrid solid lubricant was synthesized by an intercalation technique, where an alkyl ammonium cation was inserted into mica's interlayer region. And the lubrication performance and its mechanism were investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that the distance between the silicate layers increased from 12.4 angstrom to 36.3 angstrom after the intercalation reaction. Owing to the increase in the interlayer distance, the intercalated mica showed a significantly improved lubricity. The results of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Xray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed that the intercalated organic cation retained a localized positive charge in mica's interlayer region and weakened electrostatic attraction to the silicate layers. This effect promotes mica's cleavage ability, resulting in a low coefficient of friction.