Superlubricity of 1,3-diketone based on autonomous viscosity control at various velocities

Abstract Superlubricity, especially achieved using oil-based materials, is of great significance for the reliability of mechanical systems. In this study, the superlubricity (μ ≈ 0.006) of steel surfaces using a synthetic 1,3-diketone lubricant EPBD-02/01 was investigated. The friction test shows that the superlubricity of EPBD-02/01 was induced by a tribochemical running-in process, through which the contact pressure was dramatically reduced. By comparing with a surface generated by the mechanical polishing, it was found that the surface-chemisorption of diketone plays an important role in the lubrication. Moreover, combining with the shear-thinning behavior of EPBD-02/01, it was supposed that the superlubricity of 1,3-diketone is based on autonomous viscosity control over a wide range of velocities in the thin film lubrication regime.