About the project
2D solid lubricants exhibit unique tribological properties with negligible friction state, so-called superlubricity. However, they are difficult to produce, and their damage during sliding is often catastrophic. This results in rupture and immediate wear. This project will explore the unique capability of the coating based on transition metal dichalcogenides doped with nitrogen to produce 2D solid lubricant in situ during sliding. The coating must be as hard as steel and provide solid lubrication in various environments.
You will select the coating with an optimum nitrogen content based on atomistic simulations and deposit the coatings by lab-scale magnetron sputtering. The tribological testing will be performed on industry-relevant tribometers (unidirectional and reciprocal pin-on-disc). The tribolayer will be analysed by advanced surface-sensitive techniques to provide feedback and validation for simulations.
The final coating solution will then be upscaled to an industrial machine, deposited on Al-alloy and steel substrates with various complex shapes, for example bearing balls and rods, and tested in conditions close to expected applications.
This project is a collaboration between the University of Southampton and the Institut Jean Lamour (IJL), Université de Lorraine, in France. You will prepare the coatings and test their tribological properties in Southampton, and spend several months in IJL analyzing 2D materials formation and properties.