journal article·2025-12Open access

High‐Temperature Superlubricity Microcapsules

Peili Gao, Yunze Li, Yi Zhang, Kai Gao, Hao Chen, Lin Zhang, Guoxin Xie

Small· Volume 21· Issue 49

Abstract

Abstract Superlubricity, characterized by an ultra‐low coefficient of friction (COF) below 0.01, is crucial for reducing energy losses in mechanical systems but remains challenging at high temperatures. This study designed a high‐temperature‐resistant solid–liquid coupled microcapsule containing perfluoropolyether (PFPE) and molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) encapsulated in silica (SiO 2 ) to develop a self‐lubricating composite material for high‐temperature applications. By embedding these microcapsules into a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) matrix, macroscopic superlubricity (minimum COF = 0.005) is achieved in atmospheric environments up to 200–250 °C. The excellent tribological performance is attributed to the synergistic effects of the stress‐responsive release of trace lubricants, the decreased COF of the PTFE matrix at high temperatures, the low viscosity of PFPE oil reducing internal friction, and the formation of a boundary lubrication film by MoS 2 . This work provided a new strategy for enabling low‐wear operation of polymer materials under extreme thermal conditions and holds significant implications for expanding the application boundaries of superlubricity technology.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Tribology and Wear Analysis · Lubricants and Their Additives · Adhesion, Friction, and Surface Interactions

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 China

School of Mechanical Engineering University of Science and Technology Beijing Beijing 100084 China

Institute of New Materials and Advanced Manufacturing Beijing Academy of Science and Technology Beijing 100084 China

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China

References (40)

Show source-provided references
1. 10.1038/s41467-025-59978-710.1038/s41467-025-59978-7 ↗
2. 10.1007/s40544-017-0183-510.1007/s40544-017-0183-5 ↗
3. 10.1002/adma.20170147410.1002/adma.201701474 ↗
4. 10.1002/adma.20170579110.1002/adma.201705791 ↗
5. 10.1038/s41467-020-18429-110.1038/s41467-020-18429-1 ↗
6. 10.1038/s41467-017-01717-810.1038/s41467-017-01717-8 ↗
7. 10.1002/adma.20200203910.1002/adma.202002039 ↗
8. Zhang Y. · Adv. Funct. Mater. · 2024 · 34 · 12
9. Du C. H. · Adv. Mater. · 2024 · 4
10. 10.1002/adma.20250412410.1002/adma.202504124 ↗
11. 10.1038/s41467-024-53462-410.1038/s41467-024-53462-4 ↗
12. 10.1002/adma.20241899510.1002/adma.202418995 ↗
13. 10.1016/j.cej.2023.14223810.1016/j.cej.2023.142238 ↗
14. 10.1016/j.triboint.2023.10829210.1016/j.triboint.2023.108292 ↗
15. 10.1002/app.5492710.1002/app.54927 ↗
16. 10.1016/j.cej.2023.14678010.1016/j.cej.2023.146780 ↗
17. 10.1021/acsami.5c0031010.1021/acsami.5c00310 ↗
18. 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2021.12798910.1016/j.colsurfa.2021.127989 ↗
19. 10.1021/acsami.0c2075910.1021/acsami.0c20759 ↗
20. 10.1016/j.triboint.2024.11017010.1016/j.triboint.2024.110170 ↗
21. 10.1021/acs.langmuir.7b0337010.1021/acs.langmuir.7b03370 ↗
22. 10.1016/j.compositesb.2020.10845010.1016/j.compositesb.2020.108450 ↗
23. 10.3390/ma1320459010.3390/ma13204590 ↗
24. 10.1002/adma.20240119210.1002/adma.202401192 ↗
25. 10.1002/adma.20160609910.1002/adma.201606099 ↗
26. 10.1038/nmat261410.1038/nmat2614 ↗
27. 10.1021/acsami.4c0411510.1021/acsami.4c04115 ↗
28. 10.1002/adfm.20230916710.1002/adfm.202309167 ↗
29. 10.1002/adma.20150521410.1002/adma.201505214 ↗
30. 10.1016/j.triboint.2023.10860610.1016/j.triboint.2023.108606 ↗
31. 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2017.01.04610.1016/j.colsurfa.2017.01.046 ↗
32. 10.1007/s40544-019-0312-410.1007/s40544-019-0312-4 ↗
33. 10.1016/j.compositesb.2020.10815710.1016/j.compositesb.2020.108157 ↗
34. 10.1016/j.triboint.2024.11050510.1016/j.triboint.2024.110505 ↗
35. 10.1016/j.apsusc.2024.16185410.1016/j.apsusc.2024.161854 ↗
36. 10.1038/s41467-025-58292-610.1038/s41467-025-58292-6 ↗
37. 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b0313610.1021/acs.langmuir.9b03136 ↗
38. 10.1016/j.radphyschem.2005.10.01310.1016/j.radphyschem.2005.10.013 ↗
39. 10.1007/s12567-021-00348-610.1007/s12567-021-00348-6 ↗
40. 10.1080/1040200970898362910.1080/10402009708983629 ↗