C60 Intercalated Graphite as Nanolubricants

Abstract

We synthesized the novel nanocomposite consisting of alternately stacked single graphene sheets and a C60 monolayer by using the graphite intercalation technique in which alkylamine molecules help intercalate large C60 molecules into the graphite. It is found that the intercalated C60 molecules can rotate in between single graphene sheets by using 13C NMR measurements. The grease with the nanocomposite materials provides a much better lubricating performance than that with other additives that have been well-known up to now. This result exhibits that a C60 monolayer intercalated between graphenes plays an important role in lubricating behavior.

Keywords

• C60 fullarene
• graphene
• graphite
• intercalate
• lubricant
• superlubricity