Synthesis and application of Setaria viridis‐like heterostructures using nickel phyllosilicate decorating polyaniline nanorods: Toward the robust and wear‐resisting epoxy‐based composites

Abstract

AbstractPerformance improvement to epoxy (EP)‐based composites is imperative yet a challenge for the application of high‐quality tribo‐materials. In this study, we reported the successful construction of a Setaria viridis‐like heterostructure using the fine nickel phyllosilicate lamellae to decorate the rod‐shaped polyaniline, and the corresponding polymer composites involving diverse mass ratios of EP resin and the heterostructures were prepared successively. The dry‐sliding tests confirmed the created composites had a significantly enhanced resistance to wear, and a concentration of 5% heterostructures dropped the wear rate to the lowest value of 1.5 × 10−5 mm3/Nm, which was ca. 78.6% lower than pure resin. The augmented wear resistance should be closely related to the enhanced strength, stiffness, and hardness. Moreover, the introduced heterostructures also improved the thermal stabilities of EP‐based composites, shifting the thermal decomposition to higher temperatures and restraining the mass loss rate to some extent. This study offered a promising pathway to develop high‐quality polymeric tribo‐materials.Highlights A Setaria viridis‐like heterostructures of PANI@NiPS were facilely synthesized. Adequate PANI@NiPS enhanced the tensile properties and hardness moderately. PANI@NiPS showed a considerable positive influence on wear resistance. PANI@NiPS improved the thermal stabilities of EP composites.