Toward high-performance lubricants: Rational design and construction of supramolecular oil gels by amphiphilic telechelic polymers to stabilize two-dimensional nanomaterials in base oils

Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have long been promised as environment-friendly lubricant additives. However, their agglomeration in base oils have largely limited their practical applications. Here, we report the supramolecular oil gels constructed by amphiphilic telechelic polymers poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(stearyl methacrylate)-block-poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) in base oils. 2D nanomaterials GO, h-BN, and g-C3N4 can be homogeneously stabilized in the oil gels over one year, which are the most stable oil dispersions of the 2D nanomaterials reported to date. The oil gels demonstrate excellent lubricating performance, which could be attributed to the 60 − 90 nm thick tribofilms formed on the worn areas. These supramolecular oil gels not only represent an efficient and versatile platform for stabilizing 2D nanomaterials, but also a universal strategy to explore high-performance lubricants.