Friction as a fundamental physical phenomenon dominates nature and human civilization, among which the achievement of molecular rolling lubrication is desired to bring another breakthrough, like the macroscale design of wheel. Herein, an edge self-curling nanodeformation phenomenon of graphite nanosheets (GNSs) at cryogenic temperature is found, which is then used to promote the formation of graphite nanorollers in friction process towards molecular rolling lubrication. The observation of parallel nanorollers at the friction interface give the experimental evidence for the occurrence of molecular rolling lubrication, and the graphite exhibits abnormal lubrication performance in vacuum with ultra-low friction and wear at macroscale. The molecular rolling lubrication mechanism is elucidated from the electronic interaction perspective. Experiments and theoretical simulations indicate that the driving force of the self-curling is the uneven atomic shrinkage induced stress, and then the shear force promotes the intact nanoroller formation, while the constraint of atomic vibration decreases the dissipation of driving stress and favors the nanoroller formation therein. It will open up a new pathway for controlling friction at microscale and nanostructural manipulation.

The solid lubricant MoS₂ demonstrates excellent lubricating properties, but it spontaneously oxidizes and absorbs moisture in air, and thus results in poor wear resistance and short wear-life. In this study, the additive g-C₃N₄ (CN) was successfully combined with MoS₂ via hydrothermal synthesis as a solid lubricant for the first time. Meanwhile, a low friction coefficient (COF, μ = 0.031) and ultra-long wear-life of CN/MoS₂ compared to pure MoS₂ in air were demonstrated. The functional groups and good crystallinity of the lubricant material were characterized via Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The formed valence states in CN/MoS₂ were analyzed via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The characterized results of the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) show the morphology and interior crystal phase structure of CN/MoS₂. From the cross-section analysis, the presence of iron oxide nanoparticles lubricating film is synergistic with CN/MoS₂ film during the friction process, resulting in its ultra-long wear-life. In particular, the friction mechanism of interlayer sliding friction combined with energy storage friction was analyzed and proposed.

Recent studies have reported that adding nanoparticles to graphene enables macroscale superlubricity to be achieved. This study focuses on the role of nanoparticles in achieving superlubricity. First, because graphene nanoscrolls can be formed with nanoparticles as seeds under shear force, the applied load (or shear force) is adjusted to manipulate the formation of graphene nanoscrolls and to reveal the relationship between graphene-nanoscroll formation and superlubricating performance. Second, the load-carrying role of spherical nano-SiO₂ particles during the friction process is verified by comparison with an elaborately designed fullerene that possesses a hollow-structured graphene nanoscroll. Results indicate that the incorporated nano-SiO₂ particles have two roles in promoting the formation of graphene nanoscrolls and exhibiting load-carrying capacity to support macroscale forces for achieving macroscale superlubricity. Finally, macroscale superlubricity (friction coefficient: 0.006–0.008) can be achieved under a properly tuned applied load (2.0 N) using a simple material system in which a graphene/nano-SiO₂ particle composite coating slides against a steel counterpart ball without a decorated diamond-like carbon film. The approach described in this study could be of significance in engineering.