Toward Multifunctional Rubber Nanocomposites: BalancingTribology, Oil Resistance, and Antistatic Performance through HybridNanofillers

In oil-exposed industrial environments, rubber components must resist swelling while maintaining durability under repeated mechanical loading. Reliable service also requires stable performance over a wide range of temperatures and humidity levels. In addition, electrostatic charge accumulation poses significant safety risks due to potential electrostatic discharge. Simultaneously achieving these functionalities without compromising mechanical and tribological performance remains a major challenge, highlighting the need for multifunctional rubber materials with balanced properties. In this study, preintercalated molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets, selected for their intrinsic wear-reduction capability, were engineered into MoS2/nitrogen-doped carbon (MNC) heteronanosheets through polyethylenimine (PEI) intercalation followed by in situ carbonization. The MNC heteronanosheets were subsequently hybridized with conductive carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to construct a novel hybrid nanofiller system for acrylonitrile butadiene rubber/butadiene rubber (NBR/BR) nanocomposites. Structural and morphological characterization confirmed the successful formation of the heteronanosheets and their improved compatibility with the rubber matrix. Compared with the neat matrix, the optimized hybrid nanocomposite exhibited 128% and 154% increases in tensile strength and modulus, respectively, together with an approximately 29% reduction in wear loss while maintaining a coefficient of friction comparable to that of the neat matrix. The hybrid nanofiller system also enhanced oil resistance over a range of oils and temperatures while preserving stable antistatic performance after prolonged oil immersion and exposure to elevated humidity. This work presents a synergistic hybrid nanofiller strategy that integrates interlayer-engineered MNC heteronanosheets with CNTs to simultaneously achieve balanced mechanical and tribological properties, antistatic behavior, and oil resistance, providing a practical approach for designing multifunctional rubber nanocomposites for demanding industrial applications.