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Journal of Polymer & Composites Original Research Special issue

Fabrication and Assessment of Tribological Performance of Nickel-Graphene-MXene Hybrid Nano-composites

  1. Shams Tabrez Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharda School of Engineering and Science, Sharda University, Greater Noida
  2. Sudesh Singh Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharda School of Engineering and Science, Sharda University, Greater Noida
  3. Vineet Kumar Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharda School of Engineering and Science, Sharda University, Greater Noida
  4. Kumresh Kumar Gaur Defence Research and Development Organization, Lucknow Road, Timarpur
  5. Avinash Ravi Raja Department of Mechanical Engineering, PDPM Indian Institute of Information Technology Design & Manufacturing Jabalpur

Abstract

As industries such as aerospace, automotive, defence, and electronics demand materials with superior wear resistance, high strength, and thermal stability, traditional metals are reaching their performance limits. Hybrid nanocomposites offer a pathway to meet these stringent requirements. In this study, novel Nickel-Graphene-MXene hybrid nanocomposites were fabricated using a powder metallurgy route, incorporating varying weight percentages (up to 2 wt.%) of MXene and 1 wt.% graphene nanosheets into a nickel matrix and evaluated for their tribological performance. Comprehensive characterization using FTIR, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, and FESEM-EDS confirmed the uniform dispersion of reinforcements and successful phase integration. Tribological performance was assessed under dry sliding conditions against a Si3N4 ball at room temperature, with results showing a significant reduction in both the friction coefficient and specific wear rate upon the addition of graphene and MXene. The composite containing 2.0 wt.% MXene (NG1M2.0) exhibited the best performance, achieving a ~61% reduction in the friction coefficient and an ~85% decrease in wear rate compared to pure nickel. Enhanced performance was attributed to the formation of stable tribo- and transfer films, which minimized direct contact and wear. These findings highlight the promising potential of Nickel-Graphene-MXene composites for advanced applications requiring superior wear resistance and mechanical durability.

Keywords

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