Green tribology: Disposal and recycling of waste Ni–Cd batteries to produce functional tribological materials

The results of studying the possibility of producing ultradispersed powders of metals, which can serve as components of metal-plating greases used to implement the effect of wearlessness during friction, from waste nickel–cadmium batteries are presented. Electrochemical mechanisms of the synthesis of Ni and Cd powders are studied, the chemical analysis of these powders is carried out, as well as the size distribution and the shape of their particles are determined. Tribological characteristics of experimental compositions of the metal-plating greases based on TSIATIM-201 that contain the produced ultradispersed powders are tested. It has been found that the disposal of metal-containing waste makes it possible to produce functional tribological nanomaterials, which comply with the requirements of green tribology, as well as possess fairly high technical efficiency and are economically reasonable and environmentally friendly.