Three-Dimensional-Printed Biomimetic Structural Ceramics with Excellent Tribological Properties

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Tribology
• Biomimetics

Background:

• Oriental sand boa ventral scale structure inspires novel material design.
• Alumina (Al2O3) ceramics offer excellent mechanical properties, high-temperature resistance, and hardness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate multiscale bioinspired alumina ceramics using DIW 3D printing and femtosecond laser processing.
• To investigate the tribological properties of these bioinspired ceramics with MoS2 thin films under dry and lubricated conditions.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of multiscale bioinspired alumina ceramics via direct ink writing (DIW) 3D printing and femtosecond laser processing.
• Deposition of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) thin film using radio frequency magnetron sputtering (PVD).
• Tribological testing under dry and lubricated (solid lubricant and oil) conditions.

Main Results:

• Bioinspired structures demonstrated significant friction reduction and wear resistance compared to blank structures.
• Friction coefficients of 0.3 (solid lubricant) and 0.148 (oil lubrication) achieved at room temperature.
• Synergistic lubrication effect observed between bioinspired structures, MoS2 solid lubricants, and lubricating oil.

Conclusions:

• Multiscale bioinspired structures enhance the tribological performance of alumina ceramics.
• The combination of bioinspired design, solid lubricants, and oil lubrication offers an effective strategy for improving ceramic component durability.
• This study presents an innovative approach for advanced applications of ceramic materials.