Self-Lubricating Ni-Based Composite Coating with Core-Shell Structured Mo@Ag@Ni Addition: Tribological Behaviors and Interface Evolution over Multi-Thermal Cycles

He, Nairu; Zhai, Yuanhai; Fang, Ziwen; Yang, Jie; Chen, Wei

doi:10.3390/lubricants13090387

Open AccessArticle

Self-Lubricating Ni-Based Composite Coating with Core-Shell Structured Mo@Ag@Ni Addition: Tribological Behaviors and Interface Evolution over Multi-Thermal Cycles

by

Nairu He

^*,

Yuanhai Zhai

,

Ziwen Fang

^*,

Jie Yang

and

Wei Chen

College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi’an 710021, China

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Lubricants 2025, 13(9), 387; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants13090387

Submission received: 2 July 2025 / Revised: 8 August 2025 / Accepted: 21 August 2025 / Published: 29 August 2025

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tribological Properties of Sprayed Coatings)

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Abstract

The rapid dissipation of soft metal lubricants would deteriorate the self-lubricating properties of the coatings at elevated temperatures. In this study, the core-shell structured Mo@Ag@Ni particles were prepared via electroless plating to suppress the rapid dissipation of Ag and facilitate tribochemical reactions at high temperatures. The NiCrAlY-Mo@Ag@Ni composite coating was sprayed on the substrate of Inconel 718 alloy using atmospheric plasma spraying technology. The results of this study show that the structural design of Mo@Ag@Ni can enhance the bonding strength of the particle interface, resulting in a high microhardness of approximately 332.2 HV. During high-temperature friction tests, Mo@Ag@Ni can provide excellent tribological properties by promoting the silver molybdate formation on the worn surface. At 800 °C, the friction coefficient and wear rate are only about 0.32 and 1.58 × 10⁻⁵ mm³N⁻¹m⁻¹, respectively. Moreover, the Ni shell layer can inhibit the rapid diffusion of Ag and provide sufficient Ag₂O to maintain the continuity of Ag₂MoO₄ lubricating film, which endows the coating with a longer lubrication life. Over multi-thermal cycles, the friction coefficient and wear rate constantly maintain at about 0.3 and 2.5 × 10⁻⁵ mm³N⁻¹m⁻¹, respectively.

Keywords: core-shell structured Mo@Ag@Ni particle; NiCrAlY-Mo@Ag@Ni coating; diffusion inhibition; long-life lubrication

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MDPI and ACS Style

He, N.; Zhai, Y.; Fang, Z.; Yang, J.; Chen, W. Self-Lubricating Ni-Based Composite Coating with Core-Shell Structured Mo@Ag@Ni Addition: Tribological Behaviors and Interface Evolution over Multi-Thermal Cycles. Lubricants 2025, 13, 387. https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants13090387

AMA Style

He N, Zhai Y, Fang Z, Yang J, Chen W. Self-Lubricating Ni-Based Composite Coating with Core-Shell Structured Mo@Ag@Ni Addition: Tribological Behaviors and Interface Evolution over Multi-Thermal Cycles. Lubricants. 2025; 13(9):387. https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants13090387

Chicago/Turabian Style

He, Nairu, Yuanhai Zhai, Ziwen Fang, Jie Yang, and Wei Chen. 2025. "Self-Lubricating Ni-Based Composite Coating with Core-Shell Structured Mo@Ag@Ni Addition: Tribological Behaviors and Interface Evolution over Multi-Thermal Cycles" Lubricants 13, no. 9: 387. https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants13090387

APA Style

He, N., Zhai, Y., Fang, Z., Yang, J., & Chen, W. (2025). Self-Lubricating Ni-Based Composite Coating with Core-Shell Structured Mo@Ag@Ni Addition: Tribological Behaviors and Interface Evolution over Multi-Thermal Cycles. Lubricants, 13(9), 387. https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants13090387

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Self-Lubricating Ni-Based Composite Coating with Core-Shell Structured Mo@Ag@Ni Addition: Tribological Behaviors and Interface Evolution over Multi-Thermal Cycles

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