Deformation and friction of MoS2 particles in liquid suspensions used to lubricate sliding contact

Tribology of a well known solid lubricant molybdenum disulphide is studied here in water and oil medium, over a large range of contact dimensions. Lateral force microscopy is used to identify the deformation modes; intra-crystalline slip, plastic grooving, fragmentation and fracture, of single particles. The medium and agglomeration were found to dictate the deformation mode. Steel on steel tribology lubricated by suspensions of these particles in liquid media was conducted over a range of contact pressure and sliding velocity. A scrutiny of the frictional data with the aid of Raman spectroscopy to identify the transfer film, suggested that the particle size, as it is at contact, is an important tribological parameter. Ultrasonication of the suspension and dispersion of the particle by surfactants were used to control the apriori particle size fed into the suspension. Correspondence of friction data of the gently sonicated suspension with that of the ultrasonicated suspension with dispersants indicated the importance of liquid ingestion by these particles as it controls their mode of deformation and consequent tribology.