Design, fabrication, and tribological performance of porous wood-inspired composites modified with functional h-BN and epoxy resin

The tribology of wood is an ancient subject, yet its underlying mechanisms remain complex and challenging. However, the poor mechanical strength and self-lubricating performance of wood limit its application in specific industries, such as water-lubricated bearings. In this paper, a simple and efficient method was proposed to enhance the comprehensive performance of porous wood (PW). Specifically, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) was attached to the walls of wood conduits by a dripping process to enhance its tribological properties. Subsequently, epoxy was used to reinforce the hollow conduit structure to improve deformation resistance. Novel h-BN-curing epoxy/porous wood (HCW) composites were prepared by the h-BN dripping and epoxy curing processes. The influences of the processes on mechanical properties, coefficient of friction (COF), wear morphology, and friction-induced vibration were systematically evaluated. The results showed that the wood-inspired composites treated with 15 cycles of h-BN dripping exhibited superior tribological performance and vibration response. The synergistic effects of h-BN dripping and epoxy curing processes remarkably suppressed fluctuations of frictional excitation forces and the violent wear, thereby improving the vibration reduction characteristics of the wood. This study provides a theoretical and technical basis for the development of amended porous wood-inspired composites aimed at weakening vibration and extending the service life of wood.