Tungsten dichalcogenide lubricant nanoadditives for demanding applications

• A comparison between 2H-WS2, IF-WS2 and IF-WSe2 nanoparticle additives was performed.
• The nanoadditives react with the steel substrate and generate a chemical tribofilm.
• 2H-WS2 has superior friction reducing and antiwear properties due to its increased reactivity.
• 2H-WS2 nanoadditives are a potential candidate to replace conventional lubricant additives.

Tungsten dichalcogenides such as WS2 and WSe2 have remarkable friction reducing properties in tribological applications due to their layered structure which exfoliates easily under shear. 2H-WS2 nanoparticles (NPs) have recently been shown to possess excellent antiwear properties in high temperature applications due to their ability to react with the steel substrate and generate a chemical tribofilm with very good mechanical properties. Moreover, 2H-WS2 sheets can adhere to the chemical tribofilm and thus also reduce boundary friction.

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