Real-time TEM imaging of compression and shear of single fullerene-like MoS2 and WS2 nanoparticles
Résumé
Inorganic fullerene-like (IF) MoS2 and WS2 nanoparticles have received increasing attention in tribology applications as new generation of friction modifier and antiwear additives in lubricating oil. A new in situ transmission electron microscope TEM technique including Nano indentation is used to manipulate individual IF-MoS2 and IF-WS2 nanoparticles. The deformation under pressure and shear of single nanoparticles is observed in real-time in the TEM and related in the force time curve. The critical values of pressure for exfoliation and rolling of some individual nanoparticles have been measured. The preliminary results are encouraging to go deeper into the better understanding of how particles are deformed during mechanical solicitation at the nanoscale.