Paraffin‐Encapsulated PTFE /PLA Woven Fibers: A Solvent‐Resistant Strategy for Enhancing Tribological Properties of Epoxy Composites
Mengdan Wang, Yuxuan Zhou, Bingli Pan, Hongyu Liu, Liming Zhu, Yuanyuan Feng, Yingying Lv, Tianxu Ma, Bin Liu, Honggang Wang ABSTRACT
Industrial applications demanding simultaneous oil storage/transportation, exceptional resistance to aggressive organic solvents, and superior friction/wear reduction present significant material challenges. This work presents a novel epoxy resin (EP)/polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)/polylactic acid (PLA)/paraffin wax (PW) three‐dimensional (3D) skeleton composite addressing these combined requirements. The composite's tribological properties were rigorously evaluated against neat EP under controlled conditions. Its solvent resistance is tested in aggressive media including ethyl acetate (EA), 1,4‐dioxane (DO), dichloromethane (DCM) and water (H2O). The EP/PTFE/PLA/PW composite exhibits exceptional resistance to organic solvents and remarkable tribological properties. Remarkably, it achieves an 82% decrease in friction coefficient and a 65% lower wear rate relative to pure EP. Theoretical calculations reveal a distinctive solid–liquid dual lubrication mechanism: The PLA skeleton provides continuous oil supply, PTFE forms a durable anti‐wear film, and the synergistic effect between stored oil and PTFE establishes an effective lubrication system. This work provides a multifunctional solution for industrial applications requiring simultaneous oil storage/transportation, solvent resistance, and superior friction‐reducing performance.