Tailoring the tribological behavior of composite structures with optimized ratio of graphene and boron nitride nanosheets

Developing solid lubricant, with best combination of lubrication characteristics and mechanical properties, is challenging for researchers. For the first time, the spark plasma sintered composite structure from bulk graphene-nanoplatelets (GNP) and hexagonal boron-nitride nanosheets (BNNS) are synthesized with an optimized combination of lubrication characteristics and mechanical properties. The nanocomposites were subjected to evaluation for tribological and mechanical behavior. Results indicated that BNNS imparts higher mechanical property (hardness and elastic modulus) and better wear characteristics, while GNP imparts better sliding behavior (lower coefficient of friction) in the composites. Further, varying the ratio of GNP and BNNS in composite, one can tailors the behavior of solid lubricant construct, as per the requirement of the intended application.