Abstract

Development of innovative self-lubricating materials for applications in water medium is of significance for protecting the environment. In this study, polyurethane (PU) molecules crosslinked by attapulgite nanofibers (ATP) are formulated, and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) particles are further incorporated, aiming to improve their tribological performance under water-lubricated conditions. Compared to neat PU, the optimized composites exhibit 92.8 % and 78.7 % reductions in friction and wear, respectively, which are significantly lower than those of commercial materials. Owing to the intricate tribophysical and chemical interactions at the sliding interface, the tribo-chemical products of ATP are fed within the tribofilm, thereby promoting the development of a robust tribofilm with superior load-bearing capacity. This process effectively overcomes the insufficient lubrication load-bearing performance of the water film.

Keywords Plus: TRIBOLOGICAL BEHAVIORS，FORMATION MECHANISMS，WEAR，TRIBOFILM，REDUCTION，POWDERS，STEEL

Published in TRIBOLOGY INTERNATIONAL，Volume215；10.1016/j.triboint.2025.111430，MAR 2026