Influence of reciprocating friction on friction and wear characteristics of MoS2 films

Molybdenum disulfide has the characteristics of reducing friction and wear resistance and is often used as a solid lubricant in spacecraft. Due to the particularity of space missions, part of the rotating structure needs to perform reciprocating motion, which accelerates the wear of the molybdenum disulfide film. In this study, the molecular dynamics simulation method was used to study the reciprocating friction characteristics of molybdenum disulfide thin films. The effects of load and temperature on the friction and wear characteristics of molybdenum disulfide films during reciprocating friction were studied. The results show that the monolayer and bilayer molybdenum disulfide films have different damage thresholds. This study provides a new idea at the atomic level for the study of lubrication under the reciprocating motion of spacecraft. Aiming at the reciprocating motion existing in the space rolling bearing, the wear characteristics of the reciprocating friction of MoS2 were studied. The friction simulation between Fe–Ni–Cr substrate and MoS2 is simulated by mixing multiple potential functions. and came to the following conclusions:•MoS2 films with different layers have different damage thresholds, and the higher the number of layers, the higher the damage threshold.•The number of layers of the MoS2 film will not affect the lubricating properties of the film, and the friction coefficient values of the films with different layers are similar.•At alternating space temperatures (0 K–500 K), the lubricating properties of MoS2 films do not change significantly.•The space alternating temperature (0 K–500 K) did not have a significant effect on the wear of the MoS2 film.