<i>In situ</i> polymerised KH570-OH-BNNS/PAS composite emulsion achieves superior lubricity and load-bearing capacity.

Wang, Gaohui; Lin, Mengjie; Zhang, Xia · Soft Matter · 2026

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Conventional emulsion lubricants suffer from issues such as oil film rupture under high loads, poor lubrication stability and insufficient load-carrying capacity. To address these issues, this study developed an acrylic polymer emulsion (PAS) with a simple composition and KH570-modified hydroxylated boron nitride nanosheets (KH570-OH-BNNS), which were used to prepare a nanocomposite emulsion lubricant <i>via in situ</i> polymerisation. The resulting emulsion lubricant exhibits excellent stability, lubricity and load-carrying capacity. Under a test load of 294 N, a minimum coefficient of friction of 0.047 was achieved, representing a reduction of 85.6% compared with the base lubricant. The wear rate was as low as 1.03 × 10<sup>-9</sup> mm<sup>3</sup> N<sup>-1</sup> m<sup>-1</sup>, whilst the maximum anti-seize load (<i>P</i><sub>B</sub>) reached 1579 N. The lubrication mechanism indicates a synergistic effect between the polymer matrix and the modified boron nitride nanosheets at the friction interface, forming a dense organic-inorganic lubricating film that effectively prevents direct contact between steel surfaces, thereby exhibiting excellent tribological performance. This study provides a new strategy for the design of high-performance water-based emulsified lubricants and expands their potential applications in the field of lubrication.