Abstract

MXene research in tribology has predominantly focused on Ti3C2Tx, overlooking the untapped potential of other promising MXenes with equally intriguing properties. Thus, to enhance tribological reliability in industrial applications, Ti2CTx coatings were applied to 316 stainless steel as a solid lubricant. Using a linear ball-on-disk tribometer under 460 MPa pressure, we found that Ti2CTx coatings reduced friction by 82% and wear rate by 70% compared to uncoated steel. Advanced characterizations showed that this improved tribology is linked to nanostructured carbon-rich protective tribofilms resulting from the contact pressure-induced graphitization of Ti2CTx MXenes sheets. Our research comprehensively elucidates the tribological effectiveness of multi-layer Ti2CTx, which is pivotal to design advanced lubricants for contemporary mechanical applications.