ZnO nanowires-decorated h-BN hybrid for enhancing the tribological properties of epoxy resin

Abstract Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is a promising additive used in tribology; however, its application is limited due to its poor interfacial combination with polymer matrices induced by its inert and smooth surface. In order to tackle this problem, an innovative ZnO nanowires-decorated h-BN hybrid was first prepared, which was then applied onto epoxy (EP) to enhance its tribological properties. The results demonstrated that ZnO nanowires were in-situ grown uniformly on the exterior of the hydroxylated h-BN, which strengthened the physical and chemical interaction between h-BN and EP, since the EP chains were prone to wrap around the ZnO nanowires. When the h-BN/ZnO content was 0.5 wt%, the friction coefficient and wear rate were decreased by 81.5% and 95.4%, respectively, and the corresponding composite coating possessed superior tribological properties under harsh conditions, which was mainly because of the synergistic reinforcing and lubricating effect between the ZnO nanowires and h-BN, as well as the good interfacial compatibility between h-BN/ZnO hybrid and EP. Moreover, the corresponding enhancement mechanisms of h-BN/ZnO were proposed.