Effects of a Graphene-Enhanced Lubricant on the Performance of a Tribosystem

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine how the presence of graphene in a lubricant (SN-500) affects the behaviour of a tribosystem. The tribological tests were conducted in lubricated, boundary lubricated, and dry sliding friction conditions using a tribometer with the pin and disc made of 100Cr6 steel. The pin and disc wear was monitored using the acoustic emission method. SpectraPLUS was employed to analyse the sampled signals written in the 16-bit linear pulse-code modulation format. Sound level measurements required applying an A-weighting filter and then 1/1 and 1/3 octave filters. The microstructural observations of the pin and disc that followed the tribological tests were performed using a scanning electron microscope. The surface texture of both specimens was measured with an optical profiler. Identification of the elements before and after tribological tests was performed using a scanning electron microscope equipped with an EDS X-ray microanalyser. The experimental data show that the most effective performance of the analysed tribosystem was observed in the presence of the graphene-enhanced lubricant.