LAUSR

The effects of copper nanowires (Cu NWs) and ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium perchlorate, in short [BMIM] [ClO4]) on the tribological properties of ionic liquid under external voltages were explored using friction tests in this paper. The results showed that the ionic liquid with 0.15 wt.% Cu NWs after 60 days exhibited better lubricating property at a low voltage of 0.5 V. The worn surfaces characterized by SEM and XPS illustrated that the existence of the Cu2O could increase wear of friction pairs when Cu particles were oxidized. How the different forms of copper affect the lubrication of ionic liquid under external voltages were further discussed. This work provides a new thought of using metal ions to improve the lubrication performance of ionic liquids under external voltages.