Ultralow friction of basil-based gel in the presence of ethanol as a green lubricant for biomedical applications.

Superlubricity is an ideal approach to save the service life of medical devices from the tribology point of view. Recently, basil seed gel (BSG) is proved to be a potential candidate with ultralow friction. In this paper, the friction coefficient of BSG is significantly reduced by introducing ethanol. The results indicate that the ethanol molecules enter the BSG network, contributing to transforming the loose structure of polysaccharide nanosheets to the integrated structure. Thus, the mechanical strength of the adsorption layer is improved, which prevents the lubrication film from being destroyed during the sliding process and thus reduces the friction loss. Such macroscopic superlubricity of BSG-ethanol lubricant demonstrates promising potential in biomedical applications such as catheters and gastric tubes. [Display omitted] • Macroscopic superlubricity of basil seed gel is achieved with the help of ethanol. • Ethanol bonds with polysaccharides and contribute to an integrated structure. • The adsorption layer with enhanced mechanical strength prevents friction damage. • A possible superlubricity mechanism model has been proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]