Study on rotational fretting wear of bonded MoS2 solid lubricant coating prepared on medium carbon steel

► The MoS2 solid lubricant coating could change the fretting regimes of the substrate, i.e. SR shifted to lower angular displacement amplitudes. ► The MoS2 solid lubricant coating effectively reduced the friction coefficient and significantly improved the wear resistance, which exhibited a better property for palliating rotational fretting damages. ► In slip regime, the rotational fretting wear mechanism of the MoS2 coating was mainly identified as the combination of abrasive wear, delamination, and tribo-oxidation.