TY  - JOUR
AU  - Ma, Xiaoyan
AU  - Gao, Qing
AU  - Gao, Zhenrong
AU  - Fan, Xin
AU  - Yang, Min
AU  - Wang, Shunhua
AU  - Ren, Siming
AU  - Pu, Jibin
PY  - 2026
TI  - Oxygen-induced contact evolution enables friction reduction in MoS2/Ag composite films
JO  - Friction
SN  - 2223-7690
SP  - 9441108
VL  - 14
IS  - 3
AB  - Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is widely utilized as a lubricant in aerospace, machinery, and electronics applications because of its unique layered structure and interlayer slip characteristics. Understanding the tribological behavior of MoS2-based films under various atmospheric conditions, including oxidizing and specialized atmospheres, is crucial for developing environmentally adaptive lubricants. Here, we fabricated pure MoS2 and Ag-doped MoS2/Ag composite films via magnetron sputtering, focusing on their tribological performance in argon, CO2, and O2 atmospheres. Our results demonstrate that the friction coefficients of both films in argon and CO2 are comparable to those in vacuum, with these environments promoting the formation of a continuous tribofilm on the counterpart ball surface, thereby reducing the wear rates. Remarkably, in an oxygen environment, the MoS2/Ag composite film results in a ~50% reduction in the friction coefficient (0.027) and a threefold decrease in the wear rate compared with vacuum conditions. This exceptional performance is attributed to the friction-induced metal oxide nanoparticles coated with Ag, which form a “brick‒mud” structure that slides with MoS2 (002) nanosheets to achieve low friction and wear. Furthermore, the addition of Ag enhances the ability of the film to repair sliding interfaces, mitigating abrasive wear. Our study elucidates the mechanisms driving the low-friction behavior of MoS2-based films in atmospheric environments, offering valuable insights for the development of high-performance lubricants for extreme conditions.
UR  - https://doi.org/10.26599/FRICT.2025.9441108
DO  - 10.26599/FRICT.2025.9441108