The present work aims to develop a lightweight and lower friction and wear material by utilizing nano-sized tungsten disulfide (WS2) particles (0, 2, 4, and 6 wt.%) as reinforcement particles in the Aluminium (Al) matrix composites developed via powder metallurgy technique. Their inclusion resulted into improvement in the densities and hardness of Al matrix composites. The hardness value increased upto 42.9% (4 wt.% of WS2) as compared to the pure Al matrix., mainly due to grain refinement mechanism. The friction coefficient and specific wear rate also declined by 48% and 43% respectively in comparison to that of pure Al matrix as a result of formation of self-lubricating WS2 tribofilm at the interface at higher load. The results revealed a significant improvement in tribological properties of Al matrix composites reinforced with WS2 nanoparticles, suited for lightweight car components interacting at higher loads.
KnauderCAllmaierHSanderDE, et al.Investigations of the friction losses of different engine concepts. Part 1: a combined approach for applying subassembly-resolved friction loss analysis on a modern passenger-car diesel engine. Lubricants2019; 7: 39.
2.
HolmbergKAnderssonPErdemirA. Global energy consumption due to friction in passenger cars. Tribol Int2012; 47: 221–234.
3.
GajevićSMiladinovićSIvanovićL, et al.A review on mechanical properties of aluminium-based metal matrix nanocomposites. Tribol Mater2023; 2: 114–127.
4.
SinghMBhandariDGoyalK. A review of the mechanical performance of nanoparticles reinforced aluminium matrix nanocomposites. In: Materials today: proceedings. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier Ltd, 2020, pp. 3198–3204.
5.
FreschiMDi VirgilioMZanardiG, et al.Employment of micro- and Nano-WS2 structures to enhance the tribological properties of copper matrix composites. Lubricants2021; 9: 53.
6.
VeličkovićSStojanovićBBabićM, et al.Parametric optimization of the aluminium nanocomposites wear rate. J Braz Soc Mech Sci Eng2019; 41: 1–10.
7.
AhamedHSenthilkumarV. Experimental investigation on newly developed ultrafine-grained aluminium based nano-composites with improved mechanical properties. Mater Des2012; 37: 182–192.
8.
AwatePPBarveSB. Formation and Characterization of Aluminium Metal Matrix Nanocomposites, www.tjprc.org (2019).
9.
ParveezBWaniMF. Tribological behaviour of nano-zirconia reinforced iron-based self-lubricating composites for bearing applications. Tribol Int2021; 159: 1–10.
10.
AnVIrtegovYDe IzarraC. Study of tribological properties of nanolamellar WS2 and MoS2 as additives to lubricants. J Nanomater2014; 2014: 865839.
11.
CaoHQianZZhangL, et al.Tribological behavior of Cu matrix composites containing graphite and tungsten disulfide. Tribol Trans2014; 57: 1037–1043.
12.
LiPXuFRobertsonS, et al.Metallurgical reactions and tribological properties of self-lubricating Al-WS2 composites: laser powder bed fusion Vs. spark plasma sintering. Mater Des2022; 216: 110543.
13.
HuangSJPengWYVisicB, et al.Al alloy metal matrix composites reinforced by WS2 inorganic nanomaterials. Mater Sci Eng A2018; 709: 290–300.
14.
NakayamaNSakagamiSHoritaM, et al.Fabrication of WS2-dispersed al composite material by compression shearing method at room temperature. In: Key engineering materials. Switzerland: Trans Tech Publications Ltd, 2014, pp. 1066–1074.
15.
VaziriHSShokuhfarAAfghahiSSS. Investigation of mechanical and tribological properties of aluminum reinforced with tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanoparticles. Mater Res Express2019; 6: 045018.
16.
SelviEMaYAksoyR, et al.High-pressure X-ray diffraction study of tungsten disulfide. J Phys Chem Solids2006; 67: 2183–2186.
17.
KaviarasuCRavichandranM. Nanomaterials through powder metallurgy: production, processing, and potential applications toward energy and environment. In: Handbook of nanomaterials and nanocomposites for energy and environmental applications. New York: Springer International Publishing, 2020, pp. 1–40.
18.
ZhangWWHuYWangZ, et al.A novel high-strength Al-based nanocomposite reinforced with Ti-based metallic glass nanoparticles produced by powder metallurgy. Mater Sci Eng A2018; 734: 34–41.
19.
PatilOMKhedkarNNSachitTS, et al.A review on effect of powder metallurgy process on mechanical and tribological properties of hybrid nano composites. In: Materials today: proceedings. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier Ltd, 2018, pp. 5802–5808.
20.
ZhaoLYaoPGongT, et al.Effect of adding tungsten disulfide to a copper matrix on the formation of tribo-film and on the tribological behavior of copper/tungsten disulfide composites. Tribol Lett2019; 67: 1–13.
21.
ZhouJMaCKangX, et al.Effect of WS2 particle size on mechanical properties and tribological behaviors of Cu-WS2 composites sintered by SPS. Trans Nonferrous Met Soc China (English Edition)2018; 28: 1176–1185.
22.
SubramaniMHuangSJBorodianskiyK. Effect of WS2 nanotubes on the mechanical and wear behaviors of AZ31 stir casted magnesium metal matrix composites. J Compos Sci2022; 6: 182.
23.
RengifoSZhangCHarimkarS, et al.Effect of WS2 addition on tribological behavior of aluminum at room and elevated temperatures. Tribol Lett2017; 65: 1–10.
24.
WillgertMLeijonmarckSLindberghG, et al.Cellulose nanofibril reinforced composite electrolytes for lithium-ion battery applications. J Mater Chem A Mater2014; 2: 13556–13564.
25.
Solís PinargoteNWPristinskiyYMeleshkinY, et al.Prediction of physical and mechanical properties of Al2O3–TiB2–TiC composites using design of mixture experiments. Ceramics2024; 7: 1639–1657.
26.
ArchardJFHirstW. The wear of metals under unlubricated conditions. Proc R Soc Lond A Math Phys Sci1956; 236: 397–410.
27.
Razavi-TousiSSSzpunarJA. Microstructural evolution and grain subdivision mechanisms during severe plastic deformation of aluminum particles by ball milling. Philos Mag2015; 95: 1425–1447.
28.
FujitaSSatoHMotozukaS. Deformation type during the ball milling process: a comparative study of the microstructures formed by ball milling, uniaxial compression, and rolling. Powder Technol2023; 426: 118598.
29.
GaoYJingHWChenSJ, et al.Influence of ultrasonication on the dispersion and enhancing effect of graphene oxide–carbon nanotube hybrid nanoreinforcement in cementitious composite. Compos B Eng2019; 164: 45–53.
HansenN. Hall-petch relation and boundary strengthening. Scr Mater2004; 51: 801–806.
32.
Modeling the dependence of strength on grain sizes in nanocrystalline materials.
33.
BiswalSRSahooS. Fabrication of WS2 dispersed Al-based hybrid composites processed by powder metallurgy: effect of compaction pressure and sintering temperature. J Inorg Organomet Polym Mater2020; 30: 2971–2978.
34.
KathiresanMSornakumarT. Friction and wear studies of die cast aluminum alloy-aluminum oxide-reinforced composites. Ind Lubric Tribol2010; 62: 361–371.
35.
LiWZhangLCWuCH, et al.Debris effect on the surface wear and damage evolution of counterpart materials subjected to contact sliding. Adv Manuf2022; 10: 72–86.
36.
RapoportLLeshchinskyVLapskerI, et al.Tribological properties of WS2 nanoparticles under mixed lubrication. Wear2003; 255: 785–793.
37.
GuptaAMohanSAnandA, et al.Tribological behaviour of Fe-C-Ni self-lubricating composites with WS2 solid lubricant. Mater Res Express2019; 6: 126507.
38.
WuNHuNZhouG, et al.Tribological properties of lubricating oil with micro/nano-scale WS2 particles. J Exp Nanosci2018; 13: 27–38.
39.
NasabAMGhasemiAAlipourM. Evaluation of mechanical and microstructural of AlA380 based nanocomposite rein-forced with Tungsten Disulfide nanoparticles. Mater Res Express2019; 6: 0850g3.
40.
NisteVBRatoiMTanakaH, et al.Self-lubricating Al-WS2 composites for efficient and greener tribological parts. Sci Rep2017; 7. Epub ahead of print 1 December 2017. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-15297-6.
41.
RohatgiPKSchultzBFDaoudA, et al.Tribological performance of A206 aluminum alloy containing silica sand particles. Tribol Int2010; 43: 455–466.
42.
NisteVBThesisP. WS2 nanoparticles as lubricant additives. 2015.
