Excellent lubrication properties of 3D printed ceramic bionic structures

Three-dimensional (3D) printed ceramic structures loaded with lubricating materials could exhibit excellent lubrication effect. In this paper, various bionic petal structures and tree frog toe end structure of 3D-printed alumina (Al2O3) ceramic are designed to study the effects of lubricating structures and tungsten disulfide (WS2) solid lubricant on the friction performance. Compared to the friction properties of various bionic lubricating structures loaded with WS2, the bionic small petal structure with hexagonal arrangement exhibits a lowest friction coefficient of 0.411 and moderate wear resistance due to more storage of lubricant and debris. The maximum friction coefficient of 1.177 and optimum anti-wear ability are offered by the bionic tree frog toe end structure. In particular, the friction coefficient of the bionic petal lubricating structures loaded with WS2 are lower than that of blank printed Al2O3 ceramic, indicating that the lubricating structures provide positive effect on improving friction performance. Therefore, the 3D printed ceramic lubricating structures provided a novel strategy for achieving lubrication in advanced applications.