Synergistic Effect of Carbon Micro/Nano-Fillers and Surface Patterning on the Superlubric Performance of 3D-Printed Structures

Autor: Katerina Gkougkousi, Alexandros E. Karantzalis, Pantelis G. Nikolakopoulos, Konstantinos G. Dassios
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Materials, Vol 17, Iss 5, p 1215 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 17051215
1996-1944
DOI: 10.3390/ma17051215
Popis: Superlubricity, the tribological regime where the coefficient of friction between two sliding surfaces almost vanishes, is currently being investigated as a viable route towards the energy efficiency envisioned by major long-term strategies for a sustainable future. This current study provides new insights towards the development of self-lubricating systems by material and topological design, systems which tend to exhibit near-superlubric tribological performance, by reporting the synergistic effect of selective surface patterning and presence of carbon micro/nano-fillers on the frictional coefficients of additively manufactured structures. Geometric and biomimetic surface patterns were prepared by fused deposition modelling (FDM), using printing filaments of a polymeric matrix infused with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and carbon fibers (Cf). The calorimetric, spectroscopic, mechanical and optical microscopy characterization of the starting materials and as-printed structures provided fundamental insights for their tribological characterization under a ball-on-disk configuration. In geometrically patterned PLA-based structures, a graphene presence reduced the friction coefficient by ca. 8%, whereas PETG exhibited the lowest coefficients, in the vicinity of 0.1, indicating a high supelubric potential. Biomimetic patterns exhibited an inferior frictional response due to their topologically and tribologically anisotropy of the surfaces. Overall, a graphene presence in the starting materials demonstrated great potential for friction reduction, while PETG showed a tribological performance not only superior to PLA, but also compatible with superlubric performance. Methodological and technical challenges are discussed in the text.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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