A hydrothermal route is developed for the synthesis of MoS2/graphene oxide (GO) composites based on the hydrothermal reduction of Na2MoO4 and GO sheets with L-cysteine. The MoS2/GO composites in improving friction and wear of the sunshine oil on sliding steel surfaces under low or high applied load were demonstrated. In tests with sliding steel surfaces, the sunshine oil that contains small amounts of MoS2/GO composites exhibited the lowest specific friction coefficient and wear rate under all of the sliding conditions. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometer performed to analyze the wear scar surfaces after friction confirmed that the outstanding lubrication performance of MoS2/GO composites could be attributed to their good dispersion stability and extremely thin laminated structure, which allow the MoS2/GO composites to easily enter the contact area, thereby preventing the rough surfaces from coming into direct contact. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.