This paper compares the tribological properties of transmission oil dispersed with molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanoparticles. Lubricant samples are prepared by dispersing MoS2 and WS2 nanoparticles in 0.5 wt.% in transmission oil. The nanoparticles are stabilized in the lubricant by surface modification with surfactant SPAN 80. The stability of the lubricant in terms of size variation of dispersed nanoparticles is evaluated using particle size analyzer. The antiwear, antifriction, and extreme pressure (EP) properties are tested on a four-ball wear tester and a comparison is made to assess the relative performance of MoS2 and WS2 nanoparticles. The friction and wear characteristics of lubricant dispersed with nanoparticles are strongly dependent upon the load taken into consideration. The lubricant dispersed with WS2 nanoparticles gave higher weld load and load wear index (LWI) than that of lubricant dispersed with MoS2 nanoparticles. The metallographic studies show that under high load conditions, the WS2 nanoparticles deposit more than MoS2 nanoparticles, thereby giving better performance at higher load conditions.
