Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop novel high-performance solid lubricants to satisfy lubrication requirements under harsh operating conditions. Design/methodology/approach Layered long-chain alkyl thiol antimony homologues Sb(SCnH2n+1)3 (n = 12, 16) were prepared by a mixed-solvent method. These materials were incorporated into a composite lithium-based grease as solid lubricant additives, and friction and wear tests were conducted under the same “Schwingung Reibung Verschleiß” test conditions. The worn surfaces of the steel discs were further characterized and analyzed to investigate the lubrication mechanism. Findings The Sb(SCnH2n+1)3 (n = 12, 16) homologues performed well under extreme pressure, and their antiwear and friction-reducing properties were superior to those of the classic solid lubricant molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). A chemical protective film is formed on the worn surface, effectively reducing friction and wear. Originality/value This work focuses on the tribological properties of layered long-chain alkyl thiol antimony homologues Sb(SCnH2n+1)3 (n = 12, 16) prepared by a mixed-solvent method for the first time. These materials possess layered crystal structures and contain typical lubricating elements, showing promising application potential under harsh and complex working conditions.
Zhang et al. (Wed,) studied this question.