Abstract

Synovial joints play a crucial role in limb biomechanics, depending on advanced lubrication systems to reduce wear. However, disruptions caused by injury or disease often led to the need for joint replacements. Although additive manufacturing enables the production of customized implants, achieving optimal wear resistance is still a significant challenge. This research explores the use of nano-additives in synovial fluid (SF). In this context, we examine the dispersion stability, surface wettability, dynamic viscosity, and bio-tribological behavior of SF enhanced by graphene (G), MXene (Ti3C2Tx), and their hybrid (G-Ti3C2Tx) in the concentrations of 0.5, 2, and 10 mg/mL, respectively. Results show that G and the hybrid maintained stable dispersions in SF, while Ti3C2Tx shows slight sedimentation at lower concentrations. Both G and Ti3C2Tx substantially improved wettability, with the most pronounced effect observed at 10 mg/mL for Ti3C2Tx (29.8 % reduction in contact angle). The bio-tribological analysis indicates that the hybrids induced a superior wear resistance (78.3 % wear reduction at 2 mg/mL). These findings highlight the potential of hybrid, in enhancing the bio-tribological properties of SFs, which is highly prospective to enhance knee prostheses and arthritis management. © 2025 The Author(s)