Synergistic Enhancement of Tribological Behavior of <scp>UHMWPE</scp> Composites via Silane‐Functionalized <scp>ZnO</scp> @g‐ <scp> C ₃

Abstract

Ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has excellent mechanical qualities and self‐lubrication, but its low wear resistance under harsh tribological conditions limits its wider use. To overcome its limitation, a novel hybrid nanofiller (ZCS) was developed by hydrothermally growing zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles on two‐dimensional graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C 3 N 4 ), followed by surface functionalization with a silane agent to enhance its interfacial compatibility. Then these ZCS fillers were incorporated into UHMWPE via melt blending at varying mass fractions. The resulting UHMWPE composite containing 5 wt% ZCS exhibited superior thermal stability and crystallinity. In addition, the optimized UHMWPE composite with 5 wt% ZCS had a 10.62% reduction in the friction coefficient (down to 0.202) and a 92.51% decrease in the wear rate (down to 4.2 × 10 −7  mm 3 /N·m) compared to pure UHMWPE. This significant enhancement relates to the layered slip of g‐C 3 N 4 , the load‐bearing contribution of the ZnO nanoparticles, and the formation of a continuous, protective transfer film. However, filler aggregation will appear when the content of ZCS is greater than 5 wt%, which will lead to the deterioration of wear resistance. This work presents a scalable and feasible method to develop high wear‐resistance UHMWPE composites for demanding tribological environments.