The synthesis and tribological characteristics of triangular copper nanoplates as a grease additive

In the present study, triangular copper nanoplates have been prepared with CTAB as the capping reagent and ascorbic acid as the reductant. This study also provides quantitative analyses on the effects of pH and CTAB on the structural characteristics of the nanoplates. When the reaction takes place at a pH = 7 with a CTAB concentration of 0.06 M, the resulting triangular nanoplates appear to have well-defined and identical structures. As an additive for greases, the nanoplates are responsible for the formation of a film deposit at the interface of the friction pair during friction. The effects of which are a 12% drop in the friction coefficient of the grease and an 82.2% drop in wear loss, which, in turn, significantly improve the tribological properties of the lubricant.