MXene topological metamaterials enable thermally managed, wear-resistant self-lubricating fabric composites

Self-lubricating aramid/PTFE fabric composites used in joint bearings can suffer from frictional heating because their through-thickness thermal transport is limited, which destabilizes friction and accelerates wear under high pressure–velocity (PV) conditions at elevated temperatures. Here, a polydopamine (PDA)-bridged ultrasonicated MXene (UT-MXene)/ carbon nanotube (CNTs)/ MoS₂ hybrid (MCM) was engineered to build a hierarchical thermo-tribological network within phenolic-bonded aramid/PTFE fabrics. Ultrasonication delaminated and fragmented Ti₃C₂Tₓ into UT-MXene nanofragments, while PDA served as an interfacial adhesive to anchor CNTs and MoS₂ and promote uniform integration in the composite. The optimized composite (7 wt% MCM, 6 h sonication) delivered an approximately twofold improvement in through-thickness thermal conductivity/thermal diffusivity and an increased tensile modulus. In severe dry pin-on-disk tests from room temperature to 150 °C, the MCM composite exhibited reduced and weakly temperature-dependent friction together with ultralow wear on the 10⁻¹ ⁶ m³ N⁻¹ m⁻¹ level. At 150 °C, the mean coefficient of friction decreased from 0.173 (Pure FC) to 0.137, while the wear rate dropped from 7.950 × 10⁻¹ ⁶ to 3.660 × 10⁻¹ ⁶ m³ N⁻¹ m⁻¹ . SEM/EDS analyses revealed a continuous transfer film enriched with UT-MXene nanofragments/CNTs/MoS₂, suggesting improved transfer-film integrity and heat dissipation under harsh sliding.