Novel Wood-Based Functional Material with Vibration and Noise Reduction.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Tribology
• Green Engineering

Background:

• Natural materials offer unique structures for engineering applications.
• Red willow's homogeneous vessels can store lubricants or reinforcing agents.
• Developing sustainable composites with advanced functionalities is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel red willow wood-based composites infused with nano-molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and reinforced with epoxy.
• To investigate the self-lubricating, mechanical vibration, and noise reduction performances of these composites.
• To elucidate the underlying friction, vibration, and noise reduction mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• Infusion of nano-MoS2 into red willow structures.
• Reinforcement of MoS2-infused red willow with epoxy.
• Evaluation of tribological properties (coefficient of friction, wear).
• Assessment of vibration and noise reduction capabilities.

Main Results:

• MoS2 infusion significantly improved tribological properties, reducing the coefficient of friction (COF) by 65.8% under water-lubricated conditions.
• Epoxy curing enhanced the mechanical performance of the composites.
• Synergistic effects of infusion and curing treatments reduced wear, COF fluctuations, and improved vibration and noise reduction.

Conclusions:

• The developed MoS2-curing epoxy/red willow (MCW) composites exhibit excellent self-lubricating and vibration/noise reduction properties.
• This study provides a new methodology for designing artificial porous materials with stable and smooth friction processes.
• The findings support the development of novel wood-based composites for engineering applications requiring low COF and good vibration damping.