Effect of Heavy Ion Irradiation on Friction of GNSs: Implications for Aerospace Lubrication

Graphene nanosheets (GNSs) possess exceptional conductivity, remarkable strength, and superior lubricity, rendering them highly suitable for aerospace applications. GNSs find extensive utilization as lubricating materials in aerospace engine bearings, conveyor chains, and conductive slip rings. Nevertheless, defects can impede the friction performance of GNSs and result in significant alterations in their mechanical properties. Thus, it is imperative to comprehensively understand the energy dissipation mechanism of defect-induced friction and explore efficacious strategies to enhance the performance and durability of GNSs in the aerospace domain. The present study introduced defects through heavy ion irradiation, characterized and evaluated the friction behavior of GNSs under varying irradiation fluences using Raman and atomic force microscopy, and analyzed the friction response under different irradiation fluence conditions. The obtained results revealed an increase in both the friction coefficient and energy dissipation of GNSs with escalating irradiation fluences. This finding offers valuable insights for the aerospace industry to address friction challenges arising from irradiation-induced defects and paves the way for the development of advanced materials based on GNSs.