Fabrication of ternary hybrid of carbon nanotubes/graphene oxide/MoS2 and its enhancement on the tribological properties of epoxy composite coatings

A novel ternary hybrid of carbon nanotubes/graphene oxide/MoS2 was prepared via hydrothermal method, and its microstructure, phase composition, and enhancement effect on the tribological properties of epoxy were investigated systematically. Results revealed EP-CNTs/GO/MoS2 possessed the lowest friction coefficient and wear rate than EP and its other composite coatings reinforced by single filler or binary hybrids. In particular, its friction coefficient and wear rate were 0.042 and 3.44 × 10−5 mm3/Nm, respectively, which were reduced by up to 90% and 95% compared to those of pure-EP. And this was mainly attributed to uniform dispersion of CNTs, GO, MoS2 in CNTs/GO/MoS2 hybrid, and load-carrying capacity of CNTs and GO, self-lubricating effect of MoS2, as well as formation of transfer film onto counterpart surface.