Self‐Lubricating Epoxy Composites: Synergistic Dispersion Strategy Toward Improved Mechanical and Anti‐Aging

ABSTRACT The poor dispersion and low interfacial bonding of reinforced fillers in polymer matrix often lead to the decrease of mechanical properties and tribological properties of composites. In this work, a self‐lubricating filler (H‐SiO ₂ @PIL) containing ionic liquid was prepared by loading a self‐synthesizing lubricant ammonium phosphate ionic liquid (PIL) into honeycomb silica (H‐SiO ₂ ) pores. By introducing γ‐Glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane and H‐SiO ₂ @PIL into the epoxy resin (EP) in one step, the composites was prepared, and a synergistic action mechanism of filler self‐lubrication and dispersibility was realized. Experimental results show that compared with Pure EP, the tensile strength of the composites is increased by 11%, the friction coefficient is reduced by 76%, and the wear rate is reduced by 95.5%. The anti‐aging performance of the composites was evaluated under simulated seawater corrosion conditions. The results showed that the anti‐aging performance of the composites was significantly improved and the tribological properties were stable before and after corrosion. This work focuses on the development of self‐lubricating fillers and their dispersion properties in composites, providing valuable reference for improving the tribological, mechanical, and anti‐aging properties of polymer‐based self‐lubricating composites in the Marine environment.