Molecular Dynamics Study on the Mechanism of Improved Tribological Properties of Nano-ZnO with Decanol Lubrication

M Ji and YW Chen and Y Wang and FC Zhang and J Li and HJ Pan and YJ Zhao and Z Zhang and L Liu, TRIBOLOGY LETTERS, 72, 42 (2024).

DOI: 10.1007/s11249-024-01840-w

This study employs molecular dynamics simulation to examine the tribological behavior of nano zinc oxide (nano-ZnO) lubricated with decanol. The changes in electrostatic interaction energy, molecular structure, and chemical reactions during the friction process were analyzed. For ZnO-decanol-ZnO system, the simulation revealed a notable reduction in the coefficient of friction for nano-ZnO, decreasing from 0.49 (at 0.5 GPa and 100 m/s) to 0.18 (at 3 GPa and 20 m/s). This improvement is attributed to the enhanced adsorption ability and temperature stabilization provided by the decanol lubricant. Furthermore, an increase in velocity induces elastoplastic deformation and wear on the sliding surface, leading to a decline in tribological performance.

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