A novel earthworm-inspired smart lubrication material with self-healing function

Wear is inevitable during the process of materials friction. Herein, inspired by organisms such as earthworms, we have developed a novel material that can repair itself after wear. The self-healing material was fabricated through injecting a phase-change material into the porous matrix to form a composite, which can spontaneously release the internal medium and form a stable lubricating layer. When the lubricating layer is worn, the internal medium can be continuously released to the surface under thermal stimulation, due to the solidifiable/liquid properties of the internal medium, which realize self-healing of the damaged lubricating layer. The as-prepared composite not only provides multiple self-healing and smart lubrication properties, but also maintain stable friction due to the presence of the lubricating layer. •A novel smart lubrication material with self-healing function was prepared.•The COF of the PPI-wax is reduced by 54.5% (PPI-PAO 10 = 0.121, PPI-Wax = 0.055), and the matrix has no obvious wear.•The self-repair process can last at least 353 times.•The outstanding lubricity and self-healing of PPI-wax is ascribed to dynamic responsiveness of the surface lubricant layer.