Mechanical and lubrication properties enabled through mixed 2D materials

在移动的机械和生物系统中，不良的润滑和磨损性能影响着全人类。具体到机械系统，通过改进润滑技术，每年可减少约8.6亿吨二氧化碳排放。该项目直接解决了这一问题，通过研究由层状二维材料组成的新型干润滑剂，称为“范德华异质结构”（vdHW），作为一种精密控制表面摩擦和磨损性能的机制。拟议的项目将侧重于测量vdHW的机械刚度、表面粘附减少和润滑性能。表面污染和水/液体插入对这些材料的影响也将通过控制湿度的实验来检验。该项目将培养1名博士后、2名硕士研究生和2名本科研究生，并为纳米添加剂润滑油开发的协同工作提供支持。考虑到这些材料在工业上的早期发展阶段，这项工作将为vdWH作为纳米增强润滑剂添加剂的未来应用提供基础。在卡尔加里L&G公司的支持下，vdWH与申请人小组研究纳米增强润滑剂的其他项目同时开发，将促进这些材料从实验室到工业的知识转移。这一基本方法和创新途径将是确保阿尔伯塔省和加拿大在润滑油合成领域竞争力的关键组成部分。最后，提供给HQP的培训机会将确保阿尔伯塔省和加拿大有足够的训练有素的专家来支持润滑科学和技术的持续卓越。

Poor lubrication and wear performance in moving mechanical and biological systems impact all of humanity. Specific to mechanical systems, approximately 860 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year can be eliminated through improvements in lubrication technologies. This project directly addresses this issue by examining novel dry lubricants comprised of layered 2D materials, termed "van der Waals heterostructures" (vdHW) as a mechanism to exquisitely control the friction and wear properties of surfaces. The proposed project will be focussed on measuring the mechanical stiffness, surface adhesion reduction, and lubrication performance of the vdHW. The impact of surface contamination and water/liquid intercalation on these materials will also be examined through controlled humidity experiments. This project will result in the training of one postdoctoral fellow, two MSc students, and two undergraduate research students, as well as provide support for the collaborative work on the development of nanoadditive lubricants. Given the early stage of development of these materials in industry, the work will provide the foundation for the future application of vdWH as additives in nanoenhanced lubricants. Concurrent development of vdWH with other projects in the applicant's group examining nanoenhanced lubricants, supported by Calgary L&G, will facilitate the knowledge transfer from the lab to industry for these materials. This fundamental approach and innovation pathway will be a key component in ensuring Alberta and Canada's competitiveness in the lubricant synthesis sector. Finally, the training opportunities offered to HQP will ensure that Alberta and Canada have sufficient trained experts to support continued excellence in lubrication science and technology.