Effect of Ti3C2Tx Mxene as an additive in Polyalkylene glycol lubricant

Abstract This study investigates a novel nanolubricant consisting of Ti3C2Tx MXene as an additive dispersed in polyalkylene glycol (PAG) oil. Nanolubricants containing Ti3C2Tx at mass fractions of 0.1 wt.% and 0.5 wt.% were prepared and evaluated under reciprocating sliding conditions to assess the coefficient of friction and wear performance. Compared to pure PAG (coefficient of friction, COF = 0.197), the 0.1 wt.% formulation yielded a COF of 0.113, while the 0.5 wt.% formulation produced a COF of 0.142. Both nanobricants produced substantial reductions in wear volume in the range of 84 to 89%. Scanning electron microscopy results revealed the formation of tribofilms composed of platelets of Ti3C2Tx on the surface of the metallic counterbody, with evidence of lamellar sheet accommodation within asperity valleys and smoothing of surface roughness. The superior performance of PAG-MXenes nanolubricants is attributed to efficient tribofilm formation, favorable dispersion stability in the polar PAG medium, and optimized interfacial adhesion that minimizes both abrasive and adhesive wear. The results demonstrate that Ti3C2Tx is an effective antiwear additive for PAG-based lubricants, and they highlight the importance of additive mass fraction on tribofilm morphology and tribological outcomes. These findings demonstrate a strong potential of MXenes as effective additives to improve lubrication under harsh operating conditions, offering a transformative approach in tribological applications and encouraging future innovative lubricant approaches. Also, the study highlights the PAG-MXenes combination as an innovative nanolubricant for improving demanding tribology applications.